Rebuilding
by littlemisscapes
Summary: Takes place after the movie, no movie events are altered. Tadashi survived the explosion (it's logical I promise) and this is the story of he and Hiro rebuilding their lives. Not Hidashi. Big Hero 7 (eventually). First posted chapter by chapter on my Tumblr. Sorry I can't summary. Reviews and critiques are always welcome
1. Chapter 1

Note: Takes place after the end credit scene. Fred's full name is Fredric Lee and Cass's last name is Hamada.

**Chapter 1**

Fred couldn't stop grinning. His dad was a superhero. He was busy saving the world. Best of all, his dad was proud of him. The pair walked side by side through the halls of the mansion. Fred's dad was beaming at his son as Fred recounted Big Hero 6's first adventures. "… And then I realized that they weren't actually my arms! I mean come on, how dumb am I?" Fred said spinning his arms excitedly.

"So how's he doing?" Mr. Lee asked, interrupting his son.

"Hiro? He's doing a lot better, going to SFIT and he just finished rebuilding Baymax," Fred replied, confused.

"That's good, but I meant the tall one. Is he out of the hospital yet?" Mr. Lee smiled. Fred froze. His dad could never seem to keep his friends' names straight. GoGo was the spunky one, Honey was the sweet one, Wasabi was the neat freak, and Tadashi was the tall one.

"What… He's… Dad…" Fred stammered, unsure how to say it.

"I was passing through, to pick up supplies for a job on the East Coast when I saw the fire. I'm sorry I didn't get there earlier. The nurses at San Fran Hospital said he had a decent chance of survival. I haven't had a chance to check up on him yet."

"Tadashi's alive?" Fred breathed. His dad gave him an odd look.

"You didn't-" he started to ask, but Fred cut him off.

"HE'S ALIVE! Come on Dad, we have to go see him!" Fred took off for the front door at a dead sprint, leaving his dad to catch up.

Fred stared through the glass at the figure in the bed. Gauze covered most of the figure's face. Tubes disappeared beneath the blankets and a dozen different monitors blinked. According to the nurses, the John Doe was left at the hospital with no identification. He matched no missing person reports and they'd kept him heavily sedated since his arrival because of the severity of his injuries. His lungs had been damaged by smoke inhalation and he was on oxygen. Most of his body was a mess of second and third degree burns. Chances are he'd never walk again. He had two shattered vertebrae in his lower back and nerve damage from the third degree burns on both legs. The skin grafts were healing well. Fred leaned back from the glass as his breath began to fog up the window. The moment he'd seen the guy in the bed he'd know it was Tadashi. He'd recognize that face anywhere, even half covered in gauze. The nurses had offered to let him go in, but Fred preferred to stay outside. Hospitals made him nervous. His dad had left a half hour before. Fred knew he had a phone call to make, but he didn't know what to say. He could hardly tell anyone that his dad, a superhero, just happened to be passing through and decided to save Tadashi. Fred had been sworn him to secrecy. With a sigh Fred pulled out his cellphone and dialed the Lucky Cat. Hiro answered on the third ring.

"Hey Fred."

"Hiro… You need to come to San Fran Hospital. Bring Baymax and Aunt Cass," Fred ordered. Fred's voice was dead serious and that scared Hiro.

"What's going on? Is everyone alright?!" Hiro asked. There was a frantic edge to his voice.

"The gang's all good. Just hurry," Fred replied before hanging up.

Twenty minutes later Fred met Cass, Hiro, and Baymax in the hospital lobby. Cass was going off on him for making her close the café early. Hiro was nervous. Fred's serious demeanor had him on edge. When Fred stopped joking it was a clear sign that something big was up. Fred ignored their badgering and led them to the third floor intensive care unit. He pointed to Tadashi's room. Hiro shrugged and opened the door. He and Baymax went in. Cass followed her nephew. Fred held the door open and tried to dodge Cass's death glare. This wasn't something he could just say. They had to see it for themselves. Hiro took tentative steps towards the bed. When he was close enough to see the unbandaged part of the patient's face he froze.

"No…" Hiro whispered. It was all he could get out around the lump in his throat.

"What's going on?" Cass asked.

"Tadashi!" Baymax announced happily. Hiro it to the bed before Bayman even finished. He hovered over his brother. Tears were running down his face, as he gently took one of Tadashi's bandaged hands in his own. The world around Hiro faded. All that mattered was his brother's hand in his and the steady beep of the heart monitor.

Aunt Cass was crying and demanding answers from the nurses. Fred stood out of the way. Baymax went to stand beside Hiro.

One of the nurses brought Hiro a chair. He let go of Tadashi just long enough to slide the chair next to the bed.

"I don't know what to say other than thank you," Cass told the doctor. Her eyes were red from tears, but she couldn't keep a smile off her face. Tadashi was alive.

"Just doing my job," the doctor replied. He turned to look at Tadashi. "He's got a long road ahead of him," he muttered absently.

"Yeah," Cass agreed. "We'll figure it out. I can get a reverse mortgage on the Café and I've got some money saved away. Whatever you need to do, do it. I'll find a way to pay for it."

Up until that moment, Fred had been leaning against the wall across the hall, forgotten. "That's not going to be an issue, Ms. Hamada," he said. Cass blinked in surprise. She hadn't realized Fred was still there. He pulled a folded slip of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Cass. "My dad says to move him to Hilltop when he wakes up. They've got the best burn ward in the whole San Fran valley."

Cass unfolded the check and stared. "This is a lot of money Fred," she whispered.

"Tadashi's my friend and I don't think he's going to be getting out to the hospital for a while. Plus there will be follow up stuff. Physical therapy and that kind of stuff," Fred explained. He shuffled his feet and looked at the floor. Cass nearly tackled him in a hug. She didn't say anything, just squeezed him until Fred was sure his ribs were going to break. When she finally let go, Fred was gasping for breath. The tears in Fred's eyes weren't lost on Cass.

"I don't know how to thank you, Fred," She said.

"You don't need to. Just let me know what's going on." The two stared at each other for a moment. "I should probably go tell the others," Fred excused himself. Cass let him go.

The nurses brought in another chair and she took a seat beside Hiro and Baymax.


	2. Chapter 2

Each member of the gang took turns visiting the hospital. The nurses got antsy when big groups invaded, plus Tadashi's room was pretty small. Hiro (and Baymax with him) was there essentially every waking hour. Cass gave up on dragging him home every evening after she caught the hospital called at 2 AM to informer that the nurses had just finished their rounds and Hiro was asleep in the chair beside Tadashi. He'd climbed out the window and snuck passed the night clerk at the hospital. Instead, Cass packed Hiro meals and let him spend most of his time with Tadashi. She called the university and explained the situation to the dean of engineering. He promised to hold Hiro's spot, but it was up to Hiro to make up the missed course work. Honey made sure there were always flowers on the table by Tadashi's bed. Fred left a stack of comics for Hiro to read. Every time he visited he brought more. The first two times GoGo visited, Hiro was sound asleep in his chair. The third time she, she dumped a pile of books in his lap and drug another chair over.

"Wake up. You're getting way far behind in your classes," She ordered. Hiro just blinked at her. "Come on sleepy head. I haven't been going to extra lectures just for the fun of it. I'd much rather have been working on my bike than sitting through The Basics of Integrated Systems. We're going to get you at least partly caught up," GoGo said more gently.

Hiro picked up the papers that had fallen off his lap and looked at them. A complex circuit was drawn and labeled in GoGo's neat, easy to read handwriting. "What is this?" he asked.

"I'm an Industrial Engineering major, so some of the stuff was a bit out of my realm of expertise. I just copied it straight from the board. Thank God Professor Ibar talks slow," GoGo explained.

Hiro shuffled through the papers. There was an almost full notebook and the textbook was highlighted with noted in the margins. "You've been going to my class?" Hiro asked. The look of shock on his face made GoGo chuckle.

"Not all of them. Just the ones I remembered you talking about not being bored in. Can't let you flunk out. Tadashi would be pissed," She smiled. Her eyes flickered Tadashi and back to Hiro. "About half this stuff is in my short hand, so I'm going to have to explain it to you. Ready?"

"Yeah. Thanks GoGo," Hiro nodded.

Wasabi took one look at Hiro the first time he visited and turned around and walked back out the door. He returned an hour later and threw a backpack at Hiro. "You are a mess little dude," Wasabi explained, pulling up a chair beside Hiro. Hiro dug through the bag and snickered- travel pillow, blankets, mouthwash, travel comb, protein bars, packets of Propel Powder, and a bottle of ibuprofen. "Thanks Wasabi. You know I can go home," Hiro teased.

"Yeah, I know that. The question is do you and judging by the way you look right now the answer is no," Wasabi fired back.

"I'm not that bad," Hiro replied, defensively. Then he caught sight of his reflection in Tadashi's window and grimaced. One side of his hair was plastered to his face from where he'd been sleeping with his head don Tadashi's bed. The other sad was sticking out at odd angles. His shirt was wrinkled. There were dark circles under his eyes and he looked general tired and sick. "So I haven't been home for a couple days. It's not a big deal," Hiro sighed.

"I know you're not going home. We all do and we get it. If our schedules and the nurses would let us, we'd stay up here with you," Wasabi said.

"You guys are doing a ton," Hiro assured him.

"I just wish we could do more. I guess I'm just really glad that you've got Baymax," Wasabi sighed.

Baymax refused to leave Hiro alone at the hospital no matter how many times Hiro insisted that he should go home with Aunt Cass. Hiro and Tadashi needed Baymax more and Cass agreed. While Hiro spent his days in the hospital doing school work or tinkering with one of his bots, Baymax kept busy. He was constantly scanning, keeping eye on his two charges. He'd remind Hiro to eat and drink. Most of the time Hiro would just grunt in reply and go back to whatever he'd been doing, so Baymax would fill a glass of water and add the flavor powder that Wasabi had brought or unwrap a protein bar and sit it next to Hiro's hand. When Hiro was asleep, Baymax would occasionally wander down the hall and talk to the nurses. At first they saw the big puffy robot as a kind of nuisance, but he earned his keep pretty quickly. The second week there, Baymax found his way into the children's wing of the hospital. Needless to say, the kids loved Baymax. By the time a frantic Hiro and the nurses tracked the robot down, Baymax was in a waiting room telling stories to around twenty sick kids. When it came time for medicine, even the reluctant ones would take their meds with limited complaining if Baymax was the one giving them.

Honey brought Hiro a Lego Kit, Star Wars or something. Hiro left it sitting on the bedside table. When he came back from a bathroom break, Baymax had half the packages open and was sitting on the floor surrounded by piles of Lego parts.

"You need the instruction book," Hiro told Baymax. Baymax just blinked. Hiro shook his head with a smile and dug out the packet of notes GoGo had left that morning. He was going to owe her big time when this was over. It took Baymax an hour to finish the space ship. He was quite proud of himself. Hiro set the ship on the window sill. Aunt Cass saw it and brought Hiro a tub of old Legos from home. That kept Baymax entertained when he wasn't talking to the nurses about the benefit of name brand antibiotic cream compared to the generic ones.

Aunt Cass visited early, ran the café during the day, and spent her evenings in the hospital, stumbling home exhausted after dark. Life settled into a kind of routine.


	3. Chapter 3

Two months after the Hamada family's arrival at the hospital the swelling around Tadashi's spinal cord was down and most of the skin grafts were healing well. The doctors began to slowly decrease the sedative and pain medication in his IV. They said he could wake up at any time, but not to force it. Hiro, Baymax, and Aunt Cass refused to leave the hospital during this. Cass woke up with a terrible crick in her neck from sleeping in the chair. It was early. The sun was just starting to come up. Hiro was practically folded in half with his butt on the chair and his head on the bed beside Tadashi. Baymax was in his charging station. He blinked at Cass and she smiled back. She got up as quietly as possible. "I'm going to get some coffee. Keep an eye on the boys," Cass ordered. Baymax nodded.

Waking up was like swimming through cotton. Sensations came one at a time. First, Tadashi heard the soft beeping. It wasn't loud, just steady and incessant. Next he was aware of something on his face. He wanted to move it away. It made him feel claustrophobic. But his body felt too heavy to move. He waited. The longer he was aware of the thing on his face the worse his claustrophobia became. It was covering his nose and mouth. He couldn't get enough air. The beeping was getting faster. With sheer force of will, Tadashi opened his eyes. The world was a smear of colors- pale blue, tan, and a large while blob. Tadashi knew this should bother him, but he was too tired to care about that. He just wanted the thing off his face. His arms were still too heavy to move. Tadashi blinked several times and the white blob solidified into a familiar face. "Baymax," Tadashi tried to say. It came out more like "Baamaaks." The robot blinked happily and put a finger to its face. That surprised Tadashi. Why did he have to be quiet? Where was he? Tadashi turned his head to get a better look at the room. One side of his face brushed the pillow and it was all Tadashi could do to keep from crying out. He blinked back tears and found himself face to face with a sleeping Hiro. Hiro's mouth was open slightly and his breath whistled slightly through his tooth gap, just like when he was little. He looked so young when he was asleep and not being a little twerp. That made Tadashi smile and he instantly regretted it. It felt like his skin was ripping all the way up one side of his face. The world spun and this time Tadashi couldn't totally contain the grasp of pain. Hiro was awake instantly.

"Tadashi?!" Hiro hissed.

Tadashi forced himself to open his eyes again. "Sup?" he muttered. Hiro grinned from ear to ear, but tears glittered in his eyes. "Is okay," Tadashi tried to comfort Hiro, but tears ran down his younger brother's face. Something was very wrong. The medicine was wearing off faster now. Looking passed Hiro, Tadashi could see that he was in a hospital room. The arm beside Hiro was weighed down with IVs. The thing over his nose and mouth was an oxygen mask and he was only seeing out of one eye because the other side of his face was covered in some kind of a bandage. What happened to me? He wondered. Slowly the memories trickled back. The smell of smoke, heat, and a crushing pressure. There'd been a fire at the showcase. Callahagn. He'd gone in after the professor. There was fire everywhere and a beam fell. He was trapped. Smoke burned his lungs and flame licked his body. He screamed and it seared his lungs. One side of his body was pressed to the floor. He couldn't move. He was going to die and leave Hiro all alone.

Tadashi forced his arm to move until it touched Hiro's hand. "Don't cry," he ordered. Hiro took his brother's hand gently.

"It's okay. They're happy tears," Hiro whispered. His voice was hoarse with emotion.

Aunt Cass ran in, followed by a team of doctors. Hiro pressed himself closer to the bed and refused to let go of Tadashi's hand. Tadashi was too tired to keep track of it all. The voices blurred together into incomprehensible gibberish. He closed his eyes and slipped back to sleep. Hiro saw Tadashi close his eyes and felt the hand in his go lip. Baymax had to physically lift Hiro up and carry him out of the room so the doctors could work. Aunt Cass closed the door behind them. Hiro struggled against Baymax, kicking and screaming. Tears were running down his face. "PUT ME DOWN! THAT"S MY BROTHER! TAKE ME BACK!" he sobbed. Baymax followed Cass to a waiting room with the hysterical Hiro in his arms. Baymax settled on the couch and held Hiro close. The teen buried his face in Baymax's body and sobbed. Baymax rocked back and forth slightly and turned on his heater. Aunt Cass started to hum. Hiro's sobs slowly subsided. In his head he could see another funeral. This time they'd have a body to bury.

"Hiro, he's going to be okay. The doctors need to run some tests and make sure that his doesn't damage his spinal cord from moving too much. The vertebrae fragments are still there," Aunt Cass explained softly when Hiro had calmed down.

"I thought… He went limp and…" Hiro couldn't say it.

"Tadashi woke up early. The sedative and pain medication are still really strong in his system. He should not have woken for another couple of hours," Baymax added. "Considering the situation, he is in good health." Baymax kept his worries about the last two skin grafts to himself.

Hiro just pressed himself tighter to Baymax. The next four hours crawled by. Cass dozed and Hiro did his best not to imagine the worst. He kept Baymax's last comment close, like a security blanket, but even that assurance couldn't keep the "Amazing Grace" from echoing through his mind.


	4. Chapter 4

The doctor knocked lightly on the doorframe before walking into the waiting room. Cass jerked awake and Hiro squirmed his way out of Baymax's arms. "Tadashi is awake. We've finished preliminary tests and you can go back in," he said. The doctor had barely finished talking before Hiro was ducking passed him and making a beeline for Tadashi's room. "Ms. Hamada, may I speak with you for a moment?" the doctor asked.

"Of course," Cass replied. She shrugged her shoulders trying to alleviate the stiffness from yet another day spent dozing in a chair.

"I doubt Tadashi will ever walk again. We removed the bone fragments, but there is damage to his spine. Preliminary tests show that he has some control over his left leg, but little to none over his right and the nerves in both of his legs were severely damaged by third degree burns," the doctor explained. Cass nodded. She'd suspected this from the moment the doctor told her Tadashi had broken vertebrae. "There is some hope though. He is still on some pretty heavy pain medications and that dulls the motor functions and nerve responses. I'm recommending that he be moved to Hilltop's burn ward and be placed in physical therapy," the doctor continued.

"Okay," Cass replied. That surprised the doctor. This wasn't the first time he'd had a conversation like this with a parent. They never took it this well. "Have you told him yet?" Cass asked.

The doctor nodded. "He's a legal adult and he asked. I had to."

"Okay then. Thank you doctor. How soon can we work on getting him transferred?" Cass asked.

"I'll start working on the paperwork right now," the doctor told her. Cass nodded and headed for Tadashi's room.

Hiro skidded to a stop outside Tadashi's room. A redheaded nurse was talking to Tadashi and showing him how to adjust the bed so he could sit up. He was smiling and nodding. The nurse laughed. Hiro held the door for her before going in. The door closed behind him.

"Hey Hiro, sorry about falling asleep on you earlier," Tadashi said. He grinned at Hiro as best he could with the right half of his face covered in gauze.

"No big," Hiro shrugged as he slid into his seat. He couldn't look Tadashi in the face.

"Look at me," Tadashi ordered. Hiro glanced up. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to leave you like that and I promise I'm not going to leave you like that ever again," Tadashi said.

"No, you were right. Someone had to help," Hiro sighed. "It took me a while to figure that out, but I got it now."

"Huh?" Tadashi narrowed his eye at Hiro.

"I've got a lot to tell you," Hiro chuckled, but there was no humor in his eyes.

"I'm not going anywhere anytime soon," Tadashi responded, gesturing to the hospital bed.

"Okay… just promise to let me know if you're going to fall asleep again. I kind of panicked last time," Hiro relented.

"Heard about that. Nice job of freaking out the nurses," Tadashi teased and Hiro the corners of Hiro's mouth twitched.

"We had a funeral for you and everything," Hiro started. In his head he could see it all, feel the first drops of rain start to fall, and smell the freshly churned earth. Tadashi almost told Hiro to stop, that he didn't have to do this now, when he saw the haunted look that flashed across his younger brother's face. "I guess it was nice. Lots of people came. I didn't know most of them, but I'd bet money that they go to Nerd School. The gang was all there. Honey and GoGo helped Aunt Cass get things ready," Hiro continued. "It was rough." Hiro paused. He wasn't looking at Tadashi. He was rolling a strand of hair back and forth between his thumb and index finger, fidgeting. Tadashi wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around his little brother right then, but that wasn't exactly a physical possibility. Hiro took a deep breath and pulled himself back together. "We made it though. Things got better after I dropped Megabot on my foot." Tadashi raised an eyebrow at that. "It activated Baymax and they he decided that I need care. Geez you made a stubborn robot." Hiro said shaking his head. "Anyway while Baymax tried to educate me on my 'pubescent mood swings' and poke my bruised foot I ended up under my bed next to my twitching sweatshirt. The microbot you got back from Krei was still in the pocket and it was frantically trying to escape," Hiro explained.

"Why was it moving around? The controller was destroyed in the fire," Tadashi interrupted. Hiro snorted.

"That's exactly what I wondered. I decided that it must be broken. I put it in a sample jar thing and tried to ignore it. Baymax picked it up and was convinced that it was actually trying to go somewhere. I made the mistake of telling him to find out where. I was being sarcastic, but Baymax…" Hiro trailed off.

Tadashi winced. "Yeah, he doesn't exactly get sarcasm."

"And that's how I ended up chasing your robot through San Fransokyo to an abandoned warehouse that had been converted into a microbot factor by a crazy guy in a Kabuki mask."

"Huh?" was all Tadashi could think to say. That sentence was wild from start to finish.

"No big. He only tried to kill us a little bit. We jumped out a window, and Baymax cushioned me. Then the policeman wouldn't listen. He just kept asking why I didn't file a report when the microbots were stolen and for my parents' contact info. Baymax's batteries died while we were in the police station and getting home was a whole other adventure. I've seen drunks who could stagger home better than Baymax on low batteries." Hiro tried to joke. He could see the look of horror on Tadashi's face and while a small part of Hiro wanted to punish Tadashi for putting them through this the rest of Hiro hated seeing the concern on the part of his brother's face that he could see.

"The fire wasn't an accident was it?" Tadashi whispered.

"No," Hiro sighed.

"Kabuki used it to steal your tech?" Tadashi clarified. Hiro nodded.

"Have the police caught him?" Tadashi asked. Spending these months thinking his brother had been murdered and knowing the culprit was on the loose would be one explanation for the sadness that lined Hiro's face even when he was smiling.

"I just told you the police wouldn't listen," Hiro snapped and immediately regretted it.

"I decided to handle it myself and Baymax decided that he was going to help me. I hope you don't mind that I gave him some upgrades," Hiro explained.

"I know karate," Baymax chimed in. Tadashi couldn't help but snicker at that.

"Baymax knows karate?!" he snorted.

"Yup and he packs a pretty good punch, especially with his armor on. I think I've got a picture of the original on my phone," Hiro said digging through his pockets. Needless to say the two brothers had a good laugh over Baymax's original 'carbon fiber undies.'

Cass stuck her head, saw the two boys giggling, and went to go help the doctor fill out the transfer forms. It would give the boys some time to work through some stuff.

Hiro told Tadashi about chasing Yokai for the first time, being rescued by the gang, and their car chase. He had to wait for Tadashi to stop laughing as he described the Wasabi and GoGo through the chase.

"There are no red lights in a car chase!" Tadashi gasped. Then the laughter turned into coughing and Hiro was on the verge of running for a nurse when Tadashi managed to get it back under control.

"Did you know Fred's family is rich?" Hiro asked. "We all though he lived under a bridge or something."

"Duh. Fred was the first person I met at SFIT. I've gone to his house and played videogames," Tadashi replied.

When Hiro started talking about turning the nerds into heroes Tadashi just about lost it. Had Hiro not had pictures, he never would have believed it. It wasn't bad telling these parts. They were actually kind of fun. Tadashi laughed in all the right spots.

"So who was behind the mask? After all that training you got him, right?" Tadashi asked when HIro stopped. Hiro swallowed and stared out the window rather than at Tadashi.

"Not exactly. He pretty much thrashed us, but I did knock the mask off. It was Callahagn," Hiro muttered. The strand of hair he'd been playing with earlier was now in his mouth. That was Tadashi's biggest clue that something major was wrong. That was one of the habits Hiro had picked up after their parents' deaths. Whenever he reverted back to that kind of stuff it was a bad sign. "I asked him how he could do that to you. You went in to rescue him and he left you to die. He said it was your own fault. He wasn't even sorry," Hiro's voice cracked and he had to swallow several times before he could get the next part out. "I ordered Baymax to kill him," Hiro whispered. "I took out his health care chip so he didn't know any better." Hiro fell silent.

"Did that make you feel better? Did killing him make you hurt any less?" Tadashi asked. His voice was flat. Hiro refused to look away from the window. He didn't want to see Tadashi's disappointment.

"No it didn't… I didn't… He got away," Hiro stammered. His chin was quivering and even though he fought as hard as he could not to let them, tears ran down his face.

"Hiro," Tadashi called. "Hiro come here." Hiro got up and stood beside the bed. He still wouldn't look at Tadashi. Tadashi grabbed Hiro's hand and pulled him oonto the bed beside him. Hiro sat down on the very edge, as far from Tadashi with his bandages and IV lines as he could.

"I don't want to hurt you," Hiro said.

"I've got enough pain meds in my system that I ca hardly feel anything," Tadashi assured him. Hiro let himself be pulled into a hug. He didn't move for fear of jostling one of Tadashi's burns.

"Baymax talks just like you sometimes," Hiro told Tadashi. "He asked me the same thing."

"What'd you say?" Tadashi asked.

"No. I told him no," Hiro sighed. "Callahagn was using the Microbots to go after Krei. He rebuilt the portal and used it to destroy the new Krei Tech Industries building. Callahagn's daughter disappeared into the portal years ago and he's harbored a grudge ever since. We stopped him in time to save Krei and we did it as a team without hurting Callahagn," Hiro finished.

"So that's it? My little brothers now a big hero?" Tadashi asked.

Hiro shook his head. "She wasn't dead. Baymax could sense Callahagn's daughter inside the portal. We flew in and rescued her. Baymax's flight suit was damaged and he got us out, but we had to leave him there. We barly made it out before the portal collapsed." Hiro continued.

"What were you thinking?" Tadashi hissed. "You could have been killed!"

"Someone had to help," Hiro shrugged. "Baymax gave me his healthcare chip when he shoved Abigail and me out the portal. I rebuilt him from your notes. The only thing I changed was the kind of battery he has." Tadashi squeezed Hiro. It hurt like Hell, but that didn't really matter. He was due for more pain meds soon anyway.

"Still disappointed in me?" Hiro asked hesitantly.

"No. I'm so proud of you," Tadashi told Hiro.

"Thanks," Hiro relaxed. "Aunt Cass doesn't know about the whole super suit stuff."

"Probably for the best," Tadashi admitted.

The nurses had a fit when they saw Hiro sitting with Tadahi. Something about second degree burns and skin grafts being particularly sensitive, but neither of the Hamada brothers really listened to the lecture. Tadashi fell asleep after the nurse hooked up a new IV of medicine.

"Hey Hiro, I think I'm going to have a nap now. Don't panic," Tadashi muttered as he drifted off.


	5. Chapter 5

They moved Tadashi to Hilltop Hospital the next day. Hilltop was a private hospital and rehab center just outside the city limits, about a half hour from the Lucky Cat and forty-five minutes from SFIT if the traffic was good. Aunt Cass and Hiro followed the ambulance there. Baymax rode with Tadashi in the ambulance and chatted with the nurses the whole way. Hilltop was amazing. Everything was state of the art. The staff got Tadashi settled into his room and then brought Cass and Hiro up from the waiting room. Tadashi's first meeting with the physical therapist was scheduled for 3 O'clock. That gave them about an hour. While Hiro carried up Baymax's charging station Aunt Cass talked with Tadashi.

"I haven't told Hiro what the doctor said yet. Have you?" Cass asked.

"No," Tadashi replied.

"Do you want me to or do you want to do it?" Cass sighed. "I'd be better than him hearing it from the physical therapist."

"I'll do it," Tadashi said after a minute. Hiro got Baymax's charger plugged in. Aunt Cass left to go get a cup of coffee, leaving the brothers and Baymax alone. "Hiro, we need to talk," Tadashi started.

"Okay," Hiro said. He plopped down in one of the chairs. These were significantly more padded than the ones at San Fran General.

"I don't want you to freak out at what the therapist has to say. I'm probably not going to be able to walk again," Tadashi put bluntly. There was no point beating around the bush.

"I know. Baymax told me that when we first saw you at the hospital," Hiro said.

"Oh," was all Tadashi could say.

"I've already started working on some designs that will make the house easier to navigate," Hiro shrugged.

"Thanks Hiro," Tadashi sighed. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Worry less?" Hiro suggested.

"Probably," Tadashi agreed.

The physical therapist talked to Tadashi about a regiment that would work to improve control over his legs and build upper body strength. With some luck he might be able to get around with crutches rather than being completely wheelchair bound. After the meeting, Tadashi's new doctor came into the room and did an in-depth checkup. He was immediately concerned with two of the skin grafts on Tadashi's right hip and calf. Tadashi's body was beginning to reject them.

After a week at Hilltop, Tadashi asked Hiro about school. "I thought you said you started classes at SFIT."

"I have permission from the dean to miss class. I just have to make up the work and take midterms like everyone else," Hiro explained.

"How do you plan to do that if you aren't going to lectures and stuff?" Tadashi asked.

"GoGo brings me notes from some of the classes and I read the textbooks while you're asleep," Hiro replied. Tadashi nodded, but he was skeptical. The next morning, Hiro jolted awake to an alarm clock and Tadashi grinning evilly from his wheel chair. "What in the world?" Hiro muttered sleepily. He'd been reading through the physics text book until 2AM the night before.

"I've got to go have people poke my burns and you've got to get going. The lecture on thermodynamics starts in an hour and a half," Tadashi informed his little brother.

"I'm not going to class," Hiro said.

"Look, you can't come to the exam room with me and they're probably going to try another skin graft after my exam so you'd be sitting here alone all day. It's better that you go to class," Tadashi argued.

"I'd rather wait for you," Hiro replied. He folded his arms and Tadashi groaned. Hiro was being stubborn. It was time to switch tactics.

"Go to class, take notes, and when you get back I want you to teach me what you learned. It's been a long time since I've done any work with thermodynamics. I'm bored just sitting and watching TV all day. Between the two of us I bet we can get you caught up in time for midterms," Tadashi said. Hiro frowned. He was thinking about it.

"You'll be back in time to watch me embarrass myself with the wheel chair again," Tadashi cajoled.

"That wasn't funny," Hiro snapped. The first time they'd turned Tadashi loose with a wheel chair, he got stuck in the elevator doors. The wheel got trapped in the gap between the hall and the elevator.

"It was pretty funny," Tadashi disagreed. They sat in silence for a second. "I've got to get going," Tadashi sighed and started wheeling himself towards the door. He bumped Hiro on the way by. "Wasabi's picking you up in twenty. I'd be getting ready if I were you," Tadashi grinned. Hiro sighed and grabbed the backpack out from under his chair before heading for the bathroom to get cleaned up.

Three Weeks later…

Hiro leaned against the wall and watched Tadashi. He was working on what the therapists called the double bars. They were a pair of parallel metal railings just above waist height. The goal was to be able to hold yourself up on them with just your arms and then 'walk' across them. They were still working with Tadashi on his legs, but had started to shift the focus to building Tadashi's upper body strength. They'd replace the two skin grafts Tadashi had rejected and the bandages were almost ready to come off. He was getting good with the wheel chair. Tadashi hated it when Hiro and Aunt Cass watched the therapy sessions. It made him feel like he had to be perfect. They worried when he fell off the bars. Hiro fussed over every bruise Tadashi managed to get and the look of pity on Aunt Cass's face made Tadashi sick. _It's not like I need another reminder that I was crippled_, Tadashi thought bitterly. But today was different. Today Tadashi moved around on the bars with ease. Sweat beaded on his forehead and he felt it running down his spine. His arms were trembling. He'd been up on the bars for almost ten minutes. Tadashi had mastered the side to side motion needed to 'walk' down the bars. Going backwards was harder, but after three weeks at Hilltop working four hours a day it wasn't a problem for Tadashi. The therapist watched Tadashi with a smile. Mr. Hamada as he liked to call the kid was pretty remarkable. Tadashi hadn't wasted time insisting they focus on just his legs. From the first session, he'd wanted to learn how to use the wheel chair better. He was willing to do whatever he had to to get the most mobility. He worked on the bars, barely able to hold himself up when they started. Every slip added a bruise to his damaged body. Tadashi joked that the blisters on his hands from the wheelchair matched the ones on his hip from the fire. It was a kind of morbid humor that the therapist appreciated. Mr. Hamada wasn't going to have an easy time adjusting to life in the real world, but he had the determination needed to make it. Tadashi's right hand slipped, but he caught himself. He was breathing hard now and there was blood in his mouth from where he'd bit his check. The therapist started clapping. "Nice job Mr. Hamada. I think you're about done with me," he chuckled. Tadashi made it back to the end of the bars and lowered himself into the wheelchair.

"That mean what I think it does?" Tadashi grinned.

"I believe your brother already packed your stuff," the therapist laughed. "I will see you in a week for our next appointment." Hiro grinned.

Cass had to rent a wheelchair accessible van to get Tadashi home. Someone (Hiro and Baymax) had installed ramps over all the lips and bumps, so getting into the café was easy. Tadashi decided not to worry about the stairs. They were home before lunch. Tadashi parked himself at one of the tables with Hiro while Cass and Baymax made lunch—grilled cheese and miso soup. Tadashi couldn't stop talking about how nice it was to be home. The food was on a whole other level, he could wear real clothes, and there were no monitors beeping in the background.

"How do you feel about company?" Aunt Cass asked over soup. Tadashi hesitated.

"I'm actually feeling pretty tired…" Tadashi started.

"Then they can wait until tomorrow," Aunt Cass finished.

Aunt Cass whisked the dirty dishes off to the kitchen. HIro stayed by Tadashi at the table and fiddled with his phone. Cass was the one who caught Tadashi glancing at the stairs. "Baymax, why don't you help Tadashi upstairs?" she suggested. Tadashi blinked in surprise. "Hiro wanted to install a lift, but I figured that was a bit beyond his sphere of experience," Cass explained, ruffling Hiro's hair as she walked by.

"She just panicked when she saw me with the big power tools," Hiro whispered.

"I don't blame her," Tadashi whispered back. Then Baymax came shuffling out of the kitchen.

"Do you want to go upstairs?" he asked Tadashi.

"Sure," Tadashi replied. Baymax leaned over Tadashi, who wrapped his arms around the robot's shoulders. Baymax slid his arms under Tadashi and lifted him like a child. Hiro followed them with the stairs to the brothers' room.

"Jeez Hiro this place is a mess," Tadashi teased. The room was actually not the worst he'd seen it. Not by a long shot, but Hiro's bed was covered in spare bot parts and shirts. One part of the floor had been converted into a Lego city.

"Sorry," Hiro winced. "I've been busy." He shoved stuff off the bed so Baymax could sit Tadashi there and go back down for the wheelchair. It barley fit up the stairwell. "We're going to have to do something about that thing," Hiro muttered watching Tadashi fold down the side and slide into the chair.

"It's not so bad," Tadashi shrugged. Hiro nodded, but Tadashi knew he wasn't really listening. Hiro had the faraway look on his face that he always got when his mind was evaluating a problem.

"We'll have to work on that," Hiro repeated softly.


	6. Chapter 6

Tadashi was shocked when he slid to panels that separated his space from Hiro's mess. The rest of the room looked like a fourteen year old roboticist lived and worked there- spare parts and clothes scattered around. Tadashi's room on the other hand was perfect. The bed mad was and everything was in its proper place. His first thought was that Hiro and Aunt Cass had just closed the door, but the lack of dust made it clear that was not the case. The only difference from the last time Tadashi had left was the baseball cap lying on the pillow. Tadashi rolled beside the bed and picked up the hat. He replayed the night of the fire in his mind. "…Callahagn's still in there!" "Someone's got to help!" The heat of the flames. The hat slipping off. Stepping through the door and then…

"You need anything?" Hiro asked from the doorway.

"Naw. I'm just going to lay down for a bit," Tadashi replied. He set the hat on the nightstand and started to work his way from the wheelchair to the bed.

"Holler if you need anything," Hiro said. Tadashi saw Hiro hesitate for a moment before leaving, but didn't think much of it. Tadashi fell asleep to the familiar sound of Hiro tinker with his robots, little clicks and the occasional soft whrrr of a servo spinning.

Tadashi jolted awake in a panic. Heat seared his body. He couldn't breathe. It took several minutes for the nightmare to fade. The red flames faded from Tadashi's vision to be replaced by his dark room. The only light came in through the open curtains above the bed. Tadashi relaxed back into his pillows. Just as he was beginning to drift off again, he heard a soft whimper. Tadashi realized that was what had woken him from the nightmare in the first place. It hadn't fit with the crackle of the fire. "Hiro?" Tadashi called softly. The kid was a pretty heavy sleeper. Tadashi didn't think it was loud enough to wake him up, but after a couple heartbeats Tadashi heard the telltale sound of blankets hitting the floor and Hiro stumbling around the messy room. Hiro appeared in the doorway rubbing his eyes.

"Yeah," Hiro sighed sleepily, "You need something?"

"You were having a nightmare weren't you?" Tadashi asked.

"Yeah," Hiro admitted.

"You want to talk about it?" Tadashi asked.

"Not really," Hiro shrugged. Tadashi waited. "I have them a lot. It's no big deal. Really," Hiro reluctantly admitted. "Sorry I woke you up," Hiro turned to leave.

"Hiro, do you want to sleep with me?" Tadashi asked. Hiro hesitated. They'd slept together a lot after their parents died and while growing up it wasn't uncommon for Aunt Cass to find Hiro in Tadashi's bed if the little guy had had a nightmare, but that was years ago.

"Yes," Hiro whispered. Tadashi slid over and Hiro crawled in beside his brother. Hiro squirmed around for a few minutes, but he fell asleep quick. Tadashi wondered if he'd really been awake for their conversation. Once again, Tadashi was reminded of how young Hiro actually was. When he was awake and running around, Hiro seemed older, closer to Tadashi's age. He was smart and mature for a fourteen year old. But when he was asleep, without all his enthusiasm and energy Hiro shrank back to a normal kid. Tadashi ran his fingers through Hiro's hair and remembered all the nights that he'd held a sobbing Hiro. Tadashi was still a kid when their parent's died, but as the big brother Hiro became his responsibility. The two of them bounced around from relative to relative for a while before Aunt Cass took them in. Hiro slid closer and pressed his face into Tadashi's chest. Tadashi fell asleep watching Hiro and worrying about the dark circles under his little brother's eyes.

The next morning, when Hiro didn't appear downstairs in the kitchen shortly before seven, Aunt Cass went looking for him. He was usually really good about setting his alarm for morning classes and He hadn't said anything about not going to class this morning. Cass frowned at Hiro's empty bed. Baymax was in his charging stand, inactive. Hiro didn't usually leave without Baymax. Cass tiptoed through the minefield of bot parts and peered into Tadashi's room. What she saw brought a smile to her face. Of course they were together. Hiro was snuggled up against Tadashi and Tadashi had an arm draped protectively over Hiro. Cass made her way back downstairs quietly. Hiro woke up slowly for the first time in months and it was delicious. He was in bed and there were no alarms beeping. His mind wasn't playing "Amazing Grace" or conjuring explosions and flames. He was safe. As Hiro slowly surfaced from sleep, he noticed a weight across his back and wondered if he'd fallen asleep with Baymax again. Then he remembered. Hiro forced his eyes open and immediately squeezed them shut against the sunlight streaming in through the window above Tadashi's bed. He blinked several times and found himself pressed against Tadashi. He must have shifted because Tadashi opened his eyes. Hiro sat up and slid away from Tadashi.

"Sorry I woke you up," Hiro said automatically.

"I was just dozing," Tadashi yawned. "By the way, you weren't hurting me. I'm not that tender," Tadashi said, propping himself up on one elbow. The two sat in an easy silence for a bit.

"I missed class," Hiro muttered. Tadashi squinted at the clock on his nightstand. It was only 9 o' clock.

"What time did you sign up for?" Tadashi asked in surprise.

"My first class is Intro to Integrated Circuits at 7 AM and my last one is Thermodynamics at 10 PM," Hiro said. "Depending on the day I have another class in the afternoons."

"Why would you do that to yourself?!" Tadashi asked in horror. Hiro just shrugged. "When do you sleep?" Tadashi continued.

"Whenever. I nap mostly," Hiro said. "You hungry?" Hiro changed the subject before Tadashi could really get on a roll. Before his brother had a chance to answer, Hiro climbed out of bed and headed downstairs. Tadashi sighed and called Baymax to help him get downstairs to the bathroom. He was worried about Hiro.


	7. Chapter 7

Three pancakes later, Tadashi found himself sitting at the dining room table, dressed but really not ready for the day, with Baymax. Hiro had gone to get ready for the day and Aunt Cass was uttering around in the café. "Alright, What's the deal with Hiro?" Tadashi asked Baymax after he heard the shower turn on.

"What do you mean?" Baymax replied.

"Is he okay? Is he sleeping? Eating? I swear he's lost weight and the shrimp didn't have any to spare. He's got dark circles under his eyes that rival any college student during finals and his sleep schedule cannot be normal with the classes he's taking," Tadashi explained. Baymax nodded.

"Hiro was not well when I was first activated. His brain activity and hormone levels were consistent with depression and he was not eating regularly." Baymax told Tadashi. "Hiro suffered from nightmares after the fire. He adjusted his schedule so that he would sleep in short bursts, getting the necessary number of hours, but avoiding REM sleep."

"Damn," Tadashi whispered.

"He has gotten a lot better. Friends helped," Baymax continued. "…and flying," Baymax added as a kind of afterthought. "Hiro is eating regularly again for the most part although he tends to forget if he gets too involved in his work. He still has nightmares pretty regularly if he sleeps long enough. I have tried giving him sedatives, but Hiro says they just make it so he can't wake up from the nightmares. Before finding you, he slept in your room a lot," Baymax explained. That broke Tadashi's heart.

"Did he ever open up to anyone?" Tadashi asked.

"I do not know what exactly Hiro said to the others, but he does not like to cry in front of others," Baymax said. Tadashi nodded. Hiro came out of the bathroom.

"I have an afternoon class in an hour and a half," he started.

"Then you better get going," Tadashi grinned. "Unless they've changed the schedule, there should be a bus in the next ten minutes. See you when you get home." Hiro nodded and he was off, taking the stairs down to the café two at a time. Tadashi chuckled.

After Hiro left, Tadashi sat at the table sipping tea and thinking. He was so lost in thought that he didn't hear Cass come up the stairs.

"I haven't seen him that excited in a long time," Cass said. Tadashi nodded.

"He didn't take it well did he," Tadashi sighed.

"About as well as to be expected I guess," Cass shrugged. "How are you doing?"

"I feel like a horrible person," Tadashi admitted. "I put you and Hiro through hell."

Cass had been tidying up the kitchen, putting away the orange juice carton, but that stopped her in her tracks. She turned around and pulled up a chair next to Tadashi.

"Don't ever say that again," she ordered. Tadashi blinked in surprise. "Hiro, me, your friends, we all missed you. Hiro most of all. I won't lie, there were days I'm sure he blamed you for leaving him, but at the end of the day Hiro understood it. You weren't being reckless. You were being a hero. You ran into that building for the same reasons you built Baymax. Hiro's always idolized you. I give you full credit for raising that kid. He always went to you when he needed something, not me. You are his hero and after the fire you became everyone else's hero, too. Hiro isn't mad at you. He's proud of you and so am I," Cass locked eyes with Tadashi and challenged him to disagree. "This isn't going to be easy, but we will work this out. Okay?"

Tadashi nodded and sruggled to swallow the lump in his throat.

"That said, if you ever pull something like that again I am going to lock you in the attic," Cass finished. She stood up and went back to tidying the kitchen. She tactfully ignored Tadashi struggling to wipe away the tears that were seeping out from under the bandages on the right side of his face. The tears stung Tadashi's raw skin. Aunt Cass put the last of the breakfast supplies away and turned back to Tadashi who'd managed to regain his composure. "If I bring you a load of towels, can you fold them?"

"Sure," Tadashi nodded.

A half our later, the laundry was done and Tadashi was bored. The bandages itched, there was nothing on TV, Aunt Cass was busy with customers, and Tadashi almost wished he was back in the hospital. At least he'd always had people to talk to there. He had Baymax carry him back upstairs and return him to the wheel chair. Baymax cleared a path to the desk and Tadashi booted up the computer. Maybe he could distract himself on the internet for a few hours or something. Tadashi caught sight of his face reflected in the dark computer screen. His hair was a mass. There were short and long patches. The half of his face not covered by bandages was pale. His eyes were dull. Tadashi'd joked about Hiro losing weight he didn't have, but Tadashi was in the same boat. Tadashi sighed. He decided that the itching was going to be his undoing. Without really thinking about, Tadashi began to pick at the bandage oon his right hand. It came off easier than he expected. Tentativley, Tadashi lifted the bandage and glanced underneath. The skin was bright pink. It looked tender, but not like it really needed a bandage. Tadashi pulled the bandage the rest of the way off as gently as possible. With it off, the itch faded. Tadashi clenched his fist and watched the new skin pull tight across his knuckles. It felt fine. The doctor said the bandages were about ready to come off anyway… Tadashi started with his hands, worked his way up his arms and down his chest and legs. Some of the bandages hurt to pull off. They were stuck better than others. He could tell which ones were from skin grafts and which ones were healed burns. The burns were scared deeper and more of an angry red than a tender pink. It was like the flames had sealed themselves inside his skin. The patch on his right hip and his right calf were ugly from multiple full thickness skin grafts. The computer had loaded, but Tadashi didn't care. He was too busy running his fingers of the scars, mapping his new body. What little hope he'd had for recovering any use of his legs faded as he ran his fingers over the scar tissue. Tadashi's been hoping that with all the bandages off, maybe he'd get a little feeling back, but no matter how hard he dug his fingers into his legs he couldn't feel anything. The tears started before Tadashi even realized he wanted to cry. He was so angry and sad and bored and hoW COULD I HAVE BEEN SO STUPID! WHAT WAS I THINKING? I'M NOT A HERO. I'M JUST A STUPID KID WHO PLAYS WITH ROBOTS! In that moment it really hit Tadashi that he'd never walk again. He'd be dependent on Baymax as long as he lived in Aunt Cass's house. Getting around San Fransokyo with its hills and crowds would be a disaster. The snowboard in his closet, might as well sell it now. Honey and GoGo had been trying to drag him to a homecoming dance for three years. He'd never go now. How was he supposed to keep an eye on Hiro? Next time the twerp decided to go hustle some bot fighters who would rescue him? The tears soaked the last of the bandages, covering the right half of his face. It felt disgusting. Without thinking, Tadashi ripped them off. He could feel that and it hurt. The sensitive skin stung and Tadashi doubled over in pain, cradling his face in his hands. Tears spilled through his fingers and his whole body shook with silent sobs. Baymax had let Tadashi take off the bandages. His scan had confirmed that everything was healed enough to be uncovered. Tadashi had seemed to be handling it alright. The breakdown took Baymax by surprise. Baymax admonished himself for thinking that Tadashi was any different from Hiro. Of course the elder Hamada brother would tend to bottle up his emotions. All of Baymax's sources cited this as a coping mechanism. Baymax set his hand on Tadashi's left shoulder.

"It is normal to feel anger, grief, and helplessness after suffering a serious injury," Baymax informed Tadashi.

"You're not helping," Tadashi hissed through gritted teeth.

"These feelings will pass. You will get better. You are not alone and you do not have to be," Baymax continued.

"No, I'm just going to be dependent on others for the rest of my life. Everywhere I go, I'll get stares and pity. I'll be the stupid kid who tried to play hero and ended up half dead," Tadashi snapped back. The bitterness in his voice hurt Baymax. The robot hesitated, evaluating the situation.

"Tadashi, look at me," Baymax ordered. Tadashi shook his head in his hands and refused to look up. Baymax continued anyway. "You are in excellent health and you have a full life ahead of you. Anything you want to do you, you can do. This is just one more problem to solve and that shouldn't be a problem for you," Baymax said.

Tadashi didn't look up, but he shivered. In his mind he could hear Hiro whisper, "Baymax talks like you sometimes."

"Thanks Baymax," Tadashi muttered.

"Knock knock!" a familiar voice called from the landing outside the room.

"Huh?" Tadashi muttered. Then he scrambled for his shirt. It was on the floor, just out of reach. Baymax tossed bent down and handed it to Tadashi who struggled to pull it on as quickly as possible. Tadashi pulled the shirt on and glanced up. Fred was standing in the doorway. He was showing an unusual amount of tact, staring straight at the wall rather than Tadashi. "Hey Fred. Didn't know you were coming," Tadashi said.

"Sorry. I was in the area and I thought I'd check on you. Everyone's really glad you're home," Fred said. He still wasn't looking at Tadashi.

"It's alright. I'm not exactly bust right now," Tadashi chuckled humorlessly. Fred glanced back at Tadashi out of the corner of his eye. "Want to sit down?" Tadashi offered.

"Sure," Fred shrugged. This was more awkward than he thought it'd be. Fred flopped onto the beanbag chair. "How are you doing? Hiro said you were going back to get the bandages off in a couple days," Fred said.

Tadashi wheeled himself around to face Fred. "Yeah, but they were itching and I couldn't take it. Baymax didn't stop me," Tadashi shrugged and Fred snickered.

"I think that's the best excuse I've ever heard. If Baymax doesn't stop it, it must not be that bad. Geez, you haven't changed a bit," Fred teased.

"Did you think I would?" Tadashi asked in surprise.

"I don't know. I hoped you wouldn't," Fred replied. They sat in silence for a few seconds.

"Hiro sent you didn't he?" Tadashi asked when the silence got to be too much.

"Nah. I was at the videogame shop and decided to stop in. Hiro's sending GoGo to check up on you at lunch time," Fred grinned.

"I do not need babysat," Tadashi groaned.

"Dude, you're a mess and we missed you," Fred snapped. "Do not pretend I didn't just walk in on you having a break down." Tadashi blinked in surprise. Fred rarely let his carefree, easygoing demeanor slip. It took a lot to ruffle his feathers. He was genuinely worried about Tadashi and it showed.

"Wouldn't be the first time you caught me at a bad time," Tadashi sighed.

"Yeah, but that was at 2 AM after Beta Baymax decked you," Fred fired back.

"He did not deck me. I accidently triggered the motors that powered his at the time unpadded arm," Tadashi huffed. He still had some dignity to defend.

"That does not change the fact that you were in the lab, sitting on the floor, holding a bad of frozen peas to your face, and threatening your robot," Fred insisted. Tadashi snorted. The easy banter felt good, normal, and it made him relax.

"The exhibition was coming up and I needed to have something to show the dean so I could keep my scholarship," Tadashi defended. Fred just rolled his yes.

"How was the exhibition this year?" Tadashi asked, changing the topic.

"Meh. No one was really in the mood to show off. With you and Professor Callahagn, you know… It was just pretty quiet. There was some cool stuff, but nothing really out there," Fred sighed. "No invisible sandwiches, no shrink rays, I mean come on people." Tadashi wasn't sure if Fred was joking or serious.

"Yeah, but I heard you did get turned into a fire breathing lizard monster," Tadashi added.

"You know! I wasn't sure if Hiro told you or not," Fred grinned. "Finally someone listened to me and it was awesome!" Tadashi couldn't hold the laughter back. He laughed until he was doubled over in the wheelchair with tears running down his face. It didn't help that Fred was now in full storytelling mode, describing his super suit. "… and then I used SUPERBOUCE and jumped higher than the roof. IT WAS EPIC! Heathcliff was even impressed and that takes a lot… You okay over there?"

"Fine," Tadashi gasped.

"Dude don't die on me. You haven't even seen me as Fredzilla yet!" Fred ordered. That sent Tadashi into another fit of laughter. "I can't wait to see what Hiro whips up for you," Fred added when Tadashi was done laughing. Tadashi wiped the tears off his face and smiled a genuine smile. When Fred's last comment sank in, the smile turned to a slight frown.

"What do you mean?" Tadashi asked.

"He's got something up his sleeve. He and GoGo have been working on it for the last couple of weeks. She's been teaching him how to use the big machines at SFIT," Fred explained. "Don't worry. She makes Hiro wear safely goggles and I'm sure it's going to be EPIC!" Fred added when he saw the look of panic on Tadashi's face.

"Uhuh," Tadashi nodded, not convinced in the slightest. "Biggest issue with this thing," Tadashi gestured at the wheelchair, "is that I can't drag Hiro out of trouble anymore."

"Don't you worry about that. We've been keeping an eye on the little dude for you," Fred said.

"I know. Thanks," Tadashi said.

"All in all, I think we did pretty good. We made sure he ate a balanced diet- soda, chocolate ice cream, and pizza- every now and them. He got plenty of exercise and stayed away from botfights. Plus we kept an eye on him through the whole save San Fransokyo thing," Fred smirked. The two talked for a while longer. Fred made a point of keeping the conversation light hearted. He saw Tadashi relax, heard him open up a bit, and smiled as he watched the old Tadashi resurface. Tadashi had worried about seeing his friends. He'd been scared that they'd stare, scared that he'd drown in the pity in their eyes. Instead, Fred had made him laugh and smile. He'd seen Tadashi at his lowest, accepted it, and treated him no different than normal. When Fred left, Tadashi went back to the computer. He browsed the internet for a while, read a few news articles and listened to the month's top new music chart. The hopelessness he'd felt that morning faded. Baymax gathered Tadashi's bandages off the floor and threw them away. There was no going back now.


	8. Chapter 8

GoGo strolled into the café just before noon. Aunt Cass was manning the counter for the lunch rush. GoGo gave a little wave and slipped around to the stairs. She stopped on the landing outside the Hamada brothers' room and yelled, "You in there nerd?"

"Come in," Tadashi hollered. He was at the computer. GoGo walked in and glanced around the room. Tadashi braced for a lecture or something, instead she ignored him and walked over to Baymax. The robot had situated himself in the middle of the floor with a bin of Legos a couple hours before much to Tadashi's surprise.

"Did you get the Enterprise built yet?" GoGo asked. Baymax nodded and pointed toward the desk where Tadashi was sitting. "Cool," GoGo walked over and grabbed the Lego model off the corner of the desk. She turned it over in her hands, examining it from all angles. By this point Tadashi was really confused. GoGo acted as if he wasn't there. "Nice job Baymax. Did you have any extra parts? I ended up with two extra bricks and I can't figure out where they go for the life of me," GoGo asked.

"There are two extra gray single bricks included with each kit because they are the most commonly lost pieces," Baymax informed her.

"Sweet. I definitely lost my instruction book so I wasn't sure," GoGo said. She set the model back on the corner of the desk and turned her attention to Tadashi. Where Fred had avoided looking Tadashi anywhere but in the eyes, GoGo looked Tadashi up and down. Then, before Tadashi had a chance to say anything GoGo slapped him across the left side of his face. Tadashi flinched and froze. He blinked several times in shock. GoGo put her hands on her hips and waited.

"What was that for?!" Tadashi snapped.

"Being an idiot," GoGo replied evenly. She grabbed a chair out of the corner, spun it around so the back faced Tadashi, and plopped down. She rested her head and hands on the back and stared at Tadashi.

"Sorry?" Tadashi asked. GoGo snorted.

"Good enough for me," she replied. A little smile played on the corners of her lips as she stared at Tadashi. Tadashi shifted uncomfortably. "You need a haircut," GoGo said at last. "It almost looks like you were going for a mohawk and gave up part way."

"Jee thanks. Nice to see you too," Tadashi rolled his eyes.

"Missed you," GoGo said at last. "How are you doing?"

"Because Fred didn't already tell you," Tadashi mumbled.

"Didn't tell me what? I haven't seen Fred yet today," GoGo asked. Her eyes narrowed and Tadashi winced. He didn't really want to have this conversation, but there was no point in trying to get out of it now. _Why did I say that?_ Tadashi wondered.

"Fred walked in on me having a bit of a breakdown this morning," Tadashi explained.

"So?" GoGo popped her gum. "I'd be worried if you weren't having a bit of a tough time right now." Tadashi raised an eyebrow at that. "It can't be an easy adjustment. You're so stubborn and independent and all the sudden you need help with a lot of things," GoGo added. Tadashi smiled slightly.

"I'm the stubborn one?" he clarified.

"Yup. You make me look laid back," GoGo popped her gum again.

"Uhuh," Tadashi rolled his eyes.

"What are your plans for the rest of the week?" GoGo asked.

"I don't have any," Tadashi shrugged.

"Good. I expect you at the lab Friday night at 8:45," GoGo ordered. She glanced at her watch and stood up.

"Why? Are you and Hiro up to something?" Tadashi asked.

"Relax. I make sure the twerp wears safety glasses when he uses the big machines," GoGo chuckled. "I've got class in a half hour. I need to get going," she added. GoGo stopped in the doorway.  
"Get a haircut and don't be late," she ordered. Then she was gone leaving Tadashi to shake his head in wonder and confusion.

Out of Tadashi's sight, she pulled a tape measure out of her pocket and measured the width of the stairwell. GoGo waved to Cass on her way out. The lunch rush was beginning to die down.

Aunt Cass closed the café around five. She was just starting to dig stuff out for dinner when Baymax brought Tadashi down to the kitchen. Seeing Tadashi without the bandages made her do a double take, but she didn't say anything. IF Baymax hadn't stopped him from taking them off, it must not be an sighed when Baymax sat him on the chair and went back for the cumbersome wheelchair. Then he had to wait for Baymax to reassemble the thing because it didn't fit through the stairs very well. "It's so slow," Tadashi muttered in frustration and Cass managed not to snort.

"Sounds like GoGo's rubbing off on you," she teased and Tadashi groaned. Aunt Cass pulled some chicken wings out of the freezer and turned to the cupboard.

"What are you making?" Tadashi asked from the table.

"Chicken wings and baked potatoes," Cass answered.

"Can I help?" Tadashi asked.

"Can you go get some potatoes out of the pantry and wash them?" Cass asked.

"Okay," Tadashi agreed. Baymax had finished unfolding the wheelchair so Tadashi slid into it and locked the arm back up. Then he set off for the pantry. It took Tadashi a couple tries to get himself lined up with the pantry door. He had to be dead on or the chair wouldn't fit. He had worried that the box of potatoes would be on the floor, but they were on one of the low shelves, easily within reach. Tadashi put three of them on his lap, backed out of the pantry, and winced as the side of the wheelchair scrapped the wall. The sink was the next challenge. Tadashi was tall enough that he could reach, but it was a bit of a stretch. He pushed himself forward in the seat. The extra two inches of reach made the job a lot easier. Aunt Cass tossed the chicken wings in a Tupperware container full of spices and shook it. Tadashi washed the potatoes. Aunt Cass put the chicken wings in the oven and set the potatoes on the rack besides them. She closed the oven door and set the timer.

"Could you help me cut my hair?" Tadashi asked when she stood up. Cass grinned at him.

"Sure. Let me go get the scissors and we can do it right now. Hiro's going to be in class for another hour and a half," Aunt Cass said, she was already heading for the bathroom.

Tadashi leaned back in the chair and relaxed. Cass frowned at Tadashi's hair. She'd cut it like normal it just looked worse. The shorter patches stood out clearly. "I'm going to have to cut it pretty short," she told Tadashi.

"Okay," he muttered. Aunt Cass went back to snipping. "Done," Aunt Cass announced. Tadashi smiled.

"Thanks Aunt Cass."

"I tried to keep the hair on the towel, but I don't think I succeeded," Cass admitted.

Tadashi shrugged. "Hiro's got another forty-five minutes. I'll probably go take a shower." Aunt Cass nodded.

There was nothing more embarrassing than having to have Baymax help him get to the shower chair, since the wheelchair wouldn't fit in the upstairs bathroom and Tadashi didn't want to use the one on the main floor. The only thing that could have made it worse was if Tadashi had to have an actual person help him instead of Baymax. Ignoring that humiliating bit, it felt wonderful to actually have a real shower. There were no bandages to avoid soaking and no nurses checking on him and Tadashi relaxed under the hot spray. It felt so good to just be really clean again. Afterwards, Baymax had to help Tadashi get back to the wheelchair. Tadashi sat on his bed, shirtless, and dug through the bag the hospital had sent him home with. There was some cream that they said he should put on the burns and skin grafts. New skin was sensitive and prone to drying and cracking and that was the last thing Tadashi wanted. H

Hiro jogged up the stairs, waved to Aunt Cass as he passed the kitchen and kept right on going up. Tadashi head Hiro thudding up the stairs and smiled. The kid made enough noise for an elephant. Hiro ducked in the room, dropped his bag by the desk, and looked for Tadashi.

"Hello?" Hiro called.

"Over here," Tadashi replied. Hiro made his way to his brother's room and froze in the doorway. "You can come in. I'm just putting some antibiotic cream on the burns," Tadashi said. He struggled to twist around and get the burns on his back. Hiro walked and grabbed the cream out of Tadashi's hand. "Hey," Tadashi protested.

"Hold still. You were going to tear your back open," Hiro snapped. He crawled onto the bed behind Tadashi and began to smear the cream over the scars. The burn seemed to spread out from the small of Tadashi's back, getting less severe as it reached towards his shoulders and waist. Hiro ran his fingers over the scarred and pitted skin.

"That's from the beam," Tadashi muttered. Hiro didn't say anything, just kept spreading the medicine on, but Tadashi could feel Hiro's hand shaking. Hiro climbed off the bed and handed the cream back to Tadashi. "Thanks," Tadashi smiled. Hiro's fists clenched.

"Callahagn deserved worse than he got," Hiro hissed. Tadashi blinked in surprise. He could see the tears in Hiro's eyes and the anger written on every inch of Hiro's body. The teen's whole body was tensed. He was all but shaking, his jaw was set, and there was a fire in his eyes that scared Tadashi.

"It's fine Hiro. I'm fine," Tadashi insisted.

"No it's not," Hiro hissed.

"Look, this isn't easy. I'm not saying that. What Callahagn did was wrong in every way, but it's not our place to punish him. Holding a grudge will only hurt us," Tadashi struggled to find the right words. As quick as the anger had appeared, it was gone. Hiro's shoulders slumped and he wiped his face on the sleeve of his sweatshirt.

"I know that. I don't want to hurt him. That wouldn't help you and it'd make me no better than him," Hiro sighed. "But I can't forgive him."

"Then don't," Tadashi replied. "Just move on." Hiro nodded. Aunt Cass broke the following silence by yelling for Hiro to come and set the table. Hiro smiled at his big brother and headed back down stairs. Tadashi pulled on a fresh shirt, struggling to keep it from clinging to the cream. He slid back into the wheelchair and rolled to the dresser. Tadashi had avoided the mirror as much as possible sine he woke up in the hospital. Now, the morbid curiosity was too much. The face in the mirror was clearly his own beneath all the changes. It looked like a hand of flame had cradled the right side of Tadashi's face. The scar started at his chin and extended right to his hairline. A tongue of flame had licked up into his scalp, taking out a small chunk of Tadashi's hairline. It wasn't pitted from blistering like Tadashi's back. This scar was smooth and a too bright shade of pink. It looked like some of the flames heat had sealed itself below his skin. Tadashi sighed. It could have been worse. He looked at his arms. The second degree burns there had left him with nasty scars that put the one on his face to shame.

"Dinner is ready. Are you ready to come downstairs?" Baymax appeared in the doorway.

"Yeah. Thanks Baymax," Tadashi said and the robot scooped him up.

After dinner, Tadashi sat at the table and helped Hiro with his homework. Two hours later, Hiro was ready to throw it all up in the air and walk away. "There is no way I'm going to be ready for finals!" he groaned.

"Someone's pessimistic tonight," Tadashi replied. Aunt Cass sat on the couch and snickered, listening to the boys banter back and forth. By ten o'clock, the homework was mostly done and Tadashi was fading fast. The four Hamada's were sandwiched on the couch watching Mythbuster reruns. Mochi was nestled on Baymax's lap, Hiro and Aunt Cas were shoveling popcorn, and Tadashi kept dozing off. He's wake up to explosions with his head on Baymax's shoulder. The episode ended and Aunt Cass called it a night, ordering the boys to bed. Baymax carried Tadashi back upstairs and he got ready for bed. Tadashi saw Hiro hesitating at the top of the stairs. "You going to bed tonight or…?" Tadashi asked.

"I'm going to go work tinker in the garage for a bit," Hiro admitted. I've got a couple ideas I've been wanting to prototype for a while."

"Okay. In bed by 1 though," Tadashi ordered.

"Bed by 1," Hiro agreed. Tadashi got in bed. Hiro hit the lights and slipped downstairs.


	9. Chapter 9

Tadashi was dying. The burning beam weighed a lot more than him. He could feel its heat searing into his back. The whole building was on fire. It was coming down around him and he couldn't care less. His whole world had narrowed to the pain and light. He couldn't breathe. The pain was fading in places. Tadashi sobbed, begging the end to come quicker. This hurt too much. In the beginning he'd struggled like a wild animal at the touch of the flames, but now he could barely lean away as another beam fell feet from his head, sending coals over him. The lay there, trapped in the flames, with half his face pressed into the floor, waiting to die. Tadashi closed his eyes when the flames reached their greedy hands towards his face. The last thing he heard was the roar of the fire.

Tadashi woke up screaming. He thrashed his arms grasping for something, anything. He fought the blankets while his whole body shook with sobs. He could still feel the fire coating him, smell the smoke. The lights came on and Tadashi buried his face in his hands. Hiro shoved passed Baymax, reaching Tadashi first. He climbed onto the bed and shook Tadashi by the shoulders, gently at first and then harder when Tadashi didn't respond. "It's okay Tadashi. You're safe now," Hiro whispered frantically. Tadashi didn't even flinch at Hiro's touch. "Dashi?" Hiro whimpered. Tadashi was scaring him. He'd never seen his brother like this, not even mom and dad died. It was Hiro's voice, small and scared that reached Tadashi through the roar and crackle of the fire. He pulled Hiro against him and held him. Hiro wrapped his arms around Tadashi and waited. Baymax followed Hiro's lead, sitting on the bed and wrapping both of his charges in a hug. Aunt Cass came pounding up the stairs. She out of breath, her hair messed from sleep, and she was frantic. "Tadashi?" Cass asked hesitantly. Tadashi couldn't answer, so Cass did the only thing she could. She crawled onto the bed with the boy and Baymax and added her arms to the safety net that encircled Tadashi. Tadashi had his head buried in Hiro's hair. He could hear soft voices and he knew they were talking to him, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. The fire was still too loud in his ears. Minutes passed and the sting of burns faded and was replaced by comforting warmth. Tadashi's sobs turned to hiccups and then silence. He was still shaking, but he did loosen his grip on Hiro. He could understand what the others were saying.

"Is he okay?" Aunt Cass asked. Her voice was tight with concern. "What do we do Baymax?"

"Tadashi is recovering. The best thing we can do is offer support and be here for him," Baymax replied.

Tadashi let go of Hiro and lifted his head up, blinking at the brightness of the room. He expected everyone to draw back, but they didn't Hiro stayed pressed against Tadashi's side. Baymax supported Tadashi from behind. Aunt Cass leaned back a bit to look Tadashi over.

"You with us?" Aunt Cass asked.

"Yeah," Tadashi nodded. "I'm okay. I'm awake now."

"Your neural levels are stabilizing," Baymax informed Tadashi.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Cass asked hesitantly.

"Not right now," Tadashi gulped. "It's too close right now." Cass nodded. She understood.

"We'll stay with you," she offered.

"It's okay Aunt Cass. Go back to bed. I'm alright now," Tadashi assured her. Cass looked unconvinced, but Tadashi's expression convinced her to not press the issue. There was a haunted look in his eyes that worried her, but more dominant on his face were shame and embarrassment.

"Okay. If you need anything, just holler," she got up from the bed reluctantly and headed back downstairs. She never even noticed that Hiro was in clothes rather than pajamas.

"I thought I told you to be in bed by 1," Tadashi muttered.

"It's only 1:15," Hiro said. "I was trying to find my pajamas," he explained.

"Fine, go to bed," Tadashi ordered.

"Can I sleep with you again?" Hiro asked hesitantly, shifting to look his brother in the face.

"If you want," Tadashi muttered.

"Just let me go find some PJs," Hiro said.

Hiro changed out of his clothes and turned off the light. Tadashi was leaning against Baymax. His eyes were already closed and he muttered when Hiro climbed under the covers beside him, but Tadashi still draped one arm protectively over Hiro. Baymax shifted to press his heater against Tadashi's back and drape an arm over both of the Hamada brothers. Tadashi was back asleep almost instantly. Hiro followed not far behind. Instead of the crackle of flames, Tadashi's sleep was filled with the soft whir that was Baymax's equivalent of a heart beat and the little whistle that accompanied Hiro's breathing.


	10. Chapter 10

Hiro woke up early. The sun was just starting to reach passed the mountains and touch San Fransokyo. He very carefully slid out from under Tadashi's arm and tiptoed down to the garage. He had some work to do before heading to a morning lecture. Tadshi woke up hours later. He shifted and muttered trying to get the sunlight off his face. When it became clear that the sun was well and truly up, Tadashi relented and opened his eyes. Baymax was still with him but Hiro was gone and looking at the clock Tadashi knew why.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" he asked Baymax groggily.

"Rest is important," Baymax replied. Tadashi just shook his head and pushed himself to the edge of the bed and pulled the wheelchair closer. Tadashi went through the motions, getting ready for the day in a fog. He regretted getting out of bed. Tadashi was running a comb through his short hair, brushing it first one way and then the other, when Aunt Cass knocked on the door frame. Tadashi saw her in the mirror.

"Hey Aunt Cass," Tadashi muttered. "Which way looks better?"

"They look the same," Cass snorted. Hurry and get ready. We need to go shopping." She ordered. Tadashi nodded.

Ten minutes later Baymax carried Tadashi down to the café, left him at one of the tables, and went back for the wheelchair. Cass's heart clenched when she saw Tadashi waiting in the wheelchair. He was wearing a SFIT sweatshirt and jeans. His San Fran Ninjas baseball cap was pulled down low. It was clear in that Tadashi was trying to hide. In Tadashi's mind shopping meant a grocery run for the café, picking up supplies for poetry night. Cass took a deep breath and walked up beside Tadashi. "Ready? I've got the van for the day," she grinned. Tadashi nodded. He followed her out the door to the van. Tadashi hated that he had to wait, wait for Aunt Cass to get the door, wait for the wheelchair ramp to unfold, and wait for Baymax to help him adjust the seatbelt.

"So where are we going?" Tadshi asked as Aunt Cass backed out of the driveway.

"I figured we'd start with the mall. It's a weekday and it's early so the place should be pretty dead," Cass grinned. In the rearview mirror, she saw Tadashi frown. "You need new clothes," Cass insisted. Tadashi didn't say anything. He just pulled the baseball cap lower. Cass turned the radio on to alleviate the awkward silence. She started humming along and by the time they reached the mall, Cass was singing under her breath. That made Tadashi smile despite the fact that going out in public made him want to puke. They parked in one of the handicapped stalls near the entrance and Tadashi had to wait for the ramp to unfold. Baymax deactivated and they left him in the van. At first, Tadashi was paranoid that people were staring at him. He wasn't sure if the lack of crowds made this easier or harder. On one hand it was easy to get around, but he couldn't disappear into the crush of people. Tadashi kept tugging the hat down, trying to cover the scar on his face. The ones on his hands were impossible to hide. Wearing mittens would attract more attention than the swirls of scar tissue. Cass had to keep reminding herself to walk slower than normal. Tadashi was lagging behind her. She pretended to window shop, waiting for him to catch up. Tadashi was frustrated. He was so slow in the wheelchair. It was clunky and the wheels were in need of some lubricant. Getting started from a standstill required a lot of strength. Tadashi's arms were getting sore by the time they hit the third store. He pointed out shirts to Aunt Cass and she grabbed them, occasionally coming back with a few extras.

Cass smiled at Tadashi's taste in clothes. A plain black V-neck, a red shirt with a small pocket, another black one with Godzilla's silhouette in white. She went to grab an army green, zip up sweatshirt off the rack and came back with it and a light blue, button down cardigan.

"How about this?" Cass asked. Tadashi smiled at the sweater.

"Sure. You and Honey are determined that I'm going to be stylish," Tadashi teased.

"I've got to do something to offset Fred's influence. I mean _Godzilla_?" Cass fired back.

"It's cool," Tadashi protested. Cass snorted.

"Whatever. Hiro's going to call you a nerd," Cass said, adding the sweater and sweatshirt to the basket.

"I _am_ a nerd," Tadashi muttered under his breath. "That's not a bad thing."

Cass laughed out loud at that. She could see Tadashi smiling slightly under his hat.

"Come on. Let's go look at the shoes. There's supposed to be a sale," Cass grinned. Tadashi groaned. Of course Aunt Cass would want to look at the shoes. She picked up the basket and headed out.

"What's with women and shoes?" Tadashi mumbled as he followed her.

In the end, they hit four stores. Tadashi ended up with five new shirts, three new pairs of jeans, a green jacket, the sweater, and a new pair of tennis shoes. Tadashi protested the shoes.

"It's not like I'm walking or running anywhere," he hissed. "Mine are fine."

"Yours are disgusting. That pair should have gone to the garbage a long time ago," Cass fired back.

"I might as well just go barefoot," Tadashi snapped, "It's not like I'm going to step on anything."

Cass drew back at that. The bitter edge in Tadashi's voice cut. Tadashi saw Aunt Cass's face fall. A clerk was staring at them. Tadashi's face burned with shame and embarrassment. He had no reason to snap at Aunt Cass.

"Sorry Aunt Cass. I didn't mean it like that. I just don't like wasting that much money on something that isn't really important anymore," Tadashi apologized. Cass nodded and set the shoes back on the shelf. Then she disappeared back down the aisle. Tadashi waited. Cass came back with another box of shoes.

"These ones are on sale," she insisted. Tadashi didn't bother protesting when she knelt down and undid one of his shoes. The clerk was still staring. Tadashi ducked his head. He was ashamed for snapping at Aunt Cass and embarrassed at being dressed like a child. Cass felt the shoe carefully. It was a size above what Tadashi normally wore, but since he couldn't tell if it was too tight she decided that bigger was better. "That's much better. What do you think? Like the color?" Cass asked standing up. Tadashi looked down at his foot resting on the pedal. The shoes were dark gray with red trim.

"They look nice," Tadashi replied.

"Alright then, sold," Cass said. That was the end of the discussion on shoes. The Hamadas were on their way out of the mall. Tadashi kept stopping to rub his hands. His arms were exhausted and he could feel the blisters forming on his hands. Aunt Cass pretended not to notice, but she did a lot of window shopping.

"Is there anything else you need?" she asked during one of these breaks.

Tadashi shook his head and then blinked. "Actually some gloves like those would be nice," he said, pointing at a window display for a sports store. The gloves were fingerless. Probably for golfing Cass figured.

"Let's go look," Cass grinned. Tadashi followed her into the little shop. They clerk found them trying different gloves off the big rack in the back of the store. He was a tall, older man with bright blue eyes and an easy smile.

"Can I help you find anything?" he asked. Tadashi shook his head. Cass launched into a description of what they were looking for.

"My nephew needs some gloves. Fingerless ones. We were looking at these, but they're all padded and I think the palm would tear out pretty quickly," Cass said showing the clerk the gloves in her hands.

"Yeah, you don't want those. I've got some that would be better. Follow me," He nodded. The Hamadas followed the man through the store. Tadashi lagged behind, struggling to make his way through the racks in the clunky wheelchair. The clerk handed Tadashi a pair of black, fingerless gloves. They were light weight, almost mesh like, but the palms were reinforced with tan leather. "These are flexible, breathable, and the palms won't wear out on you," the man said. Tadashi slipped the gloves on and flexed his hands. Aunt Cass was distracted, looking at a rack of athletic shirts. The man watched Tadashi adjust the strap around his wrist. "If you don't mind me asking, how long have you been in a wheelchair?" the man asked. Tadashi's fingers fumbled with the strap as he pulled the gloves off.

"Not long," Tadashi admitted. He did his best to keep his voice level. The clerk nodded. He looked Tadashi over again, this time noting the scars on his hands and the way he was trying to hide beneath the baseball cap. He saw a lot of kids come through, buying sports equipment or workout clothes. He was pretty good at reading them. He looked at the young man in the wheelchair and pegged him for a casual athlete, in good shape but not someone who was going professional. He had the height for a basketball player and the build of a runner.

"You do really well maneuvering that chair. It's a beast. My granddaughter was in a skiing accident several years ago. She hated the chair she had that was like that," the man told Tadashi. Tadashi didn't know what to say. "This must be hard on you," the man continued. Tadashi shrugged. "As good as you are with that thing have you thought about joining any wheelchair sports? I know that did a lot of good for Abby, my granddaughter." Tadashi frowned, no he hadn't thought about anything like that.

"Well?" Aunt Cass asked. "How are those gloves?"

"I like them," Tadashi said. Cass frowned at the emotion in Tadashi's voice. She took the gloves to the counter and paid the clerk. He handed Cass the receipt and gave the gloves to Tadashi along with a business card.

"Think about it. Abby's skiing in the Paralympics this summer," the man said with a smile. Cass blinked in surprise. Tadashi accepted the card and pulled on the gloves.

"Thanks. I will," Tadashi agreed. With his new gloves on, he followed Aunt Cass back out of the mall. He waited for the ramp to unfold, but managed to get the seatbelt adjusted without Baymax's help. Tadashi didn't say anything on the drive home. Cass pulled into the driveway and put the van in park, but didn't shut it off.

"Are you okay?" she asked. "Honestly, how are you doing?"

"My arms are sore and I think I'm going to have some nice blisters on my hands come tomorrow," Tadashi said.

"And?" Cass prompted.

"And I'm tired and I'm sick of being helpless," Tadashi admitted. "I feel like a burden…" Tadashi trailed off. Cass shut the van off, got out, and opened the door by Tadashi. He wouldn't look at her.

"Hey, look at me," Cass ordered. "You are not a burden and you are far from helpless."

"I can't even get into the bathroom without Baymax carrying me!" Tadashi yelled. His voice cracked and he couldn't hold the tears back.

"So?" Cass challenged. "Who built Baymax? You can't climb stairs and tight spaces are hard, think a way around it. You are a genius and you are going to invent a million things that change the world. That isn't changed by the fact that you're in a wheelchair."

Tadashi stared at her. "You just… I'm not… I can't…" Tadashi stammered.

"I know you've lost a lot. I cannot imagine what you are going through, let alone handling it as well as you are. Yes, some doors have closed, but not all of them. And if you really want to do something, you'll figure a way to make it work. I believe in you and I'm always going to support you. The same goes for Hiro, Baymax, and the whole gang." Cass looked Tadashi straight in the eyes. "It's okay to be sad and scared and angry. I'd be worried if you weren't. It's okay to cry and it is okay to talk about it. You don't have to be the strong one all the time."

"Okay," Tadashi said. It was all he could say. Cass nodded and flipped the switch for the wheelchair ramp.

"How about we make some grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch?" Cass suggested as Tadashi wiped his face on his sweatshirt sleeve.

"That'd be awesome," Tadashi said. "Thanks Aunt Cass. For everything," he added.

"Anytime sweetheart," Cass smiled.


	11. Chapter 11

Hiro came home and headed straight for the garage. The parts he'd ordered had come in and he needed to stash them. Hiro tucked the box under his desk and then headed upstairs. Tadashi, Aunt Cass, and Baymax were sitting at the kitchen table playing cards.

"Watcha doing?" Hiro asked.

"Teaching Baymax how to play Texas Hold 'em," Tadashi replied. "I'm all in and Aunt Cass is already out."

Tadashi groaned. Baymax laid down his hand and swept the pile of goldfish out of the center of the table. "Would you like some goldfish?" Baymax offered Hiro.

"No thanks big guy," Hiro snickered. "Did you really expect to beat the robot?" he asked Tadashi. Aunt Cass shook her head.

"There is a degree of luck and skill involved," Tadashi protested.

"Hmmm, I' m pretty sure Baymax can count cards and he'd got a better Poker face than you," Hiro fired back.

"My poker face is good enough to beat you," Tadashi teased. Hiro just shook his head.

"Got any plans for the night?" Cass asked Hiro.

"Actually Tadashi and I are going to meet GoGo at 8:45," Hiro grinned.

"I thought that was tomorrow night?" Tadashi said.

"They're having a bunch of highschoolers tour the place tomorrow night and GoGo finished early," Hiro shrugged.

"Fair enough," Tadashi nodded.

The two worked on Hiro's homework while Aunt Cass made dinner. Afterwards, Tadashi pulled on his new green jacket, tightened the gloves around his wrists, and tilted his hat to hide most of his face. "I assume we're taking the 8:30 bus?" he said to Hiro.

"Yeah," Hiro replied. "Looks like I need to get you a new hat," he added, noticing the singe mark on the edge of the bill. Tadashi pulled the hat off and looked it over. He hadn't noticed the burn on the navy blue hat when he'd found it on his nightstand that morning.

"This one's fine," he shrugged. Tadashi followed Hiro out into the dark. The bus stop was less than a block from the café. When it rolled up to the stop, Hiro climbed the steps and asked the driver to fold out the wheelchair ramp. The driver nodded, Tadashi got on, flashed his SFIT Student ID, and parked himself in the wheelchair area. He held onto the handles on the wall as the bus lurched forward. Hiro sat on the bench by Tadashi. They were the only ones on the bus. "Are you going to tell me what you and GoGo are up to?" Tadashi asked.

"GoGo said she'd smack me if I ruined the surprise, this one is all her," Hiro replied. Tadashi snorted.

Tadashi stared out the window. San Fransokyo passed in a blur of neon lights. As the bus neared the Intsitute Hiro pulled the wire. The driver folded out the ramp for Tadashi who thanked him. The driver just grunted in response. It'd been a long day.

The bus left Hiro and Tadashi on the edge of campus. "Come on!" Hiro exclaimed. He was practically jumping up and down. Tadashi sighed and followed Hiro towards the lab building. Campus had changed a lot. The showcase building was gone, only the concrete foundation remained. A small memorial had been erected just beyond the concrete footprint. And a new sign stood in front of the lab building. Hiro danced ahead, only stopping when he realized Tadashi wasn't following him anymore.

"The Institute down know I'm not dead right?" Tadashi clarified when Hiro made his way back to Tadashi.

"Yeah, but the dean had a fit when someone suggested the change to sign and the memorial," Hiro explained.

"Ahh…" Tadashi followed Hiro to the lab. Hiro Held the door and waited for Tadashi to make it up the ramp.

It was strange being back in the Institute. The concrete floor and open hallway were nice for Tadashi, much better than the tile at the mall, quieter. Hiro opened the lad door and stuck his head in. "GoGo?" he called.

"Come on in. I just finished," GoGo yelled back. Hiro held the door for Tadashi. Hiro was smirking in a way that made Tadashi just a little bit worried. Tadashi made his way passed Hiro into the lab. GoGo was sitting on the counter next to a half assembled bike. On the floor beside her was a wheelchair.

"Should have known," Tadashi grinned. The chair was sleek, all black, smaller than the standard one the hospital had sent him home with, but it looked sturdier. Tadashi rolled up beside GoGo.

"Yeah, you should have. That thing the insurance company paid for is a dinosaur," GoGo remarked. "Come on, try it," she insisted, prodding Tadashi in the shoulder with her toe. Tadashi grinned, pushed himself right next to the new chair, and went to work taking the arm off his chair. Then he looked at the new one. "Push the button on the back of the arm rest and the arm will fold down," GoGo supplied. Tadashi fumbled for the button for a minute, but when he found it the arm rest dropped down flush with the seat. "You can adjust it to any height you want," GoGo said. She and Hiro watched Tadashi lock the wheels on his chair. "The wheels are already locked." Tadashi nodded. He used his arms to lift his body from one chair to the other and then adjusted his feet and legs on the foot rests. Then he lifted the arm back up. The wheel locks were easy to reach, just below the seat. The wheels themselves made Tadashi grin. He swept his hand between the wheel and the frame and found no axle. Tadashi pushed himself around the lab. It moved easily and turned on a dime.

"This is amazing GoGo," Tadashi beamed.

"It's got electromagnetic suspension and an aluminum frame. It's not designed to fold up, but it's narrow and light enough that it should literally go anywhere you want. It disassembles pretty easy, but Baymax should be able to take it up and down the stairs without doing anything to it. Plus it's a lot faster and easier to use than your other one. I watched a lot of videos on wheelchairs and made my improvements. I thought about doing angled wheels like on the racing chairs, but Hiro pointed out that that wouldn't make doorways easier," GoGo explained.

"I haven't had too many issues with doorways," Tadashi remarked. He hadn't thought about that being an issue.

"That's because Hiro and I changed all the door hinges in the Lucky Cat," GoGo laughed.

"Huh?" Tadashi asked.

"Standard doors are usually 28 to 32 inches wide. Standard wheelchairs usually need at least 36 inches of space. Switching out door hinges for hinges designed for wheelchairs can give you an extra few inches," GoGo explained. "And then the doors here are all on the big side so equipment can be moved from lab to lab." Tadashi nodded. "What do you think?" GoGo asked.

"I think you better get down here so I can give you a hug," Tadashi replied. GoGo snorted, but she hopped off the counter and let Tadashi hug her. "Thank you so much," Tadashi added. His voice was choked with emotion.

"No chick flick moments," GoGo teased. Tadashi laughed and wiped his eyes.

"What have all you guys been working on?" Tadashi asked. GoGo's eyes lit up.

"Come on, you have to see this!" she grinned. Tadashi and Hiro followed her to one of the storage rooms built into the lab. GoGo pulled a key out of her pocket and opened the door. Inside were twelve bikes. "I had five different companies offer to buy my designs, but I told them no. They don't have the equipment or the desire to meet my quality standards. When you're talking electromag, everything has to be perfect. Wouldn't want a bike to come apart when a racer takes a hard turn at 30mph. So, I've been building and selling them myself. For everyone I've got here I've made three or four that didn't meet my standards. Of those three, two of them are good enough that I donated them to one of those charities that gives bikes to kids. The other one I scrap. Overall, I've gotten fifteen bikes and the chair that meet my standards," GoGo said. Her voice was full of pride.

"Wasabi is definitely rubbing off on you," Hiro remarked. GoGo smacked him gently in the back of the head.

"That is awesome," Tadashi breathed.

"I wish I could show you Honey and Wasabi's stuff," GoGo sighed. "Wasabi's got this laser cutter that looks like a pen. He's in DC right now pitching it at some big gemstone and jewelry convention," GoGo explained.

"Wow," Tadashi nodded in approval.

"Yeah, we're pretty proud of him. Then Honey's off visiting her parents. She'll be back next week, about the same time as Wasabi. She's got a ton of crazy new chemical concoctions worked out. There's an eco-group that's interested in her Chemical Metal Embrittlement stuff for recycling purposes. I don't totally understand the science behind that but whatever," GoGo said.

"What are you working on?" Tadashi asked turning to Hiro.

"I'm helping GoGo standardize her bike manufacturing," Hiro shrugged.

"He's building better brains for the machines around the lab," GoGo clarified. "It's really nice. I can now push a button and they just go to work making my parts."

"They remember the designs you've uploaded to them and are capable of being told to start work wirelessly," Hiro corrected. GoGo just waved her hand.

"So is black okay?" GoGo asked turning her attention back to Tadashi. "I thought about doing it red to match…" GoGo trailed off as Hiro waved his arms frantically behind Tadashi. "Anyway is it comfortable?" GoGO switched thoughts.

"Uh… Black's great. It's all great," Tadashi replied. He blinked in confusion.

"So when can we expect to see you back in the lab?" GoGo asked. Tadashi just shrugged.

GoGo and the Hamada brothers talked for a while more. Hiro ran off to grab a text book he'd forgotten, leaving Tadashi and GoGo alone. Tadashi glanced around the lab. One thing caught his eye.

"Has Fred upgraded his chair to a cot?" Tadashi snickered. GoGo's face fell.

"No. Honey brought that after she caught Hiro sleeping on the floor," GoGo said.

"What?" Tadashi frowned.

"Hiro doesn't, maybe didn't, sleep well after the fire. When we finally got his to start coming to class, we knew he was napping between lectures, but didn't think much of it until Honey came back to the lab about 1AM to check on a reaction and found him sleeping on the floor. He'd told Cass he was staying late to use some of the machines because he didn't have to wait in line. Really, he was just working himself half to death," GoGo explained.

"Baymax told me Hiro had adjusted his sleep schedule so he wasn't asleep long enough to dream," Tadashi muttered.

"Yeah and he was working himself to exhaustion," GoGo added. Tadashi squeezed his eyes shut and took several deep breaths.

"Callahagn better hope he and I never meet," Tadashi said darkly.

"Losing you did a real number on Hiro, on all of us," GoGo sighed. "I will say he's happier now than I've seen him since the fire."

"You guys took good care of him," Tadashi remarked.

"In case you didn't notice, we kind of adopted Hiro," GoGo nodded.

"I noticed," Tadashi smiled. "Thank you. For everything."

"No problem. He's a cool kid and you're pretty much the best friend anyone could hope to have," GoGo said. She popped her gum and the two sat in silence for a bit. "You should meet Abigail," GoGo added after a bit.

"Who?" Tadashi frowned.

"Callahagn's daughter. She's really cool. She hangs out in the physics department a lot. She came and asked us if we thought you'd be willing to meet her sometime," GoGo explained.

"Why would she want to meet me?" Tadashi asked.

"I don't know, but she tracked Hiro down and apologized after she found out what her dad had done. She makes a point of popping in every once in a while to check on us," GoGo said. "She's pretty cool."

Tadashi nodded. "I'll think about it. I'm not real comfortable with people in general right now," he admitted.

"Fair enough," GoGo agreed. Hiro came back with his text book and the two boys headed back to the bus stop.

"Aunt Cass said she'll come pick up the old chair tomorrow," Hiro told Tadashi.

"She knew!" Tadashi exclaimed.

"Of course," GoGo rolled her eyes. "I had to ask her for some measurements."

The bus had to make a circuit around the city. The Hamadas' stop would be one of the last. This bus was crowded. Hiro fell asleep in the seat and at one point slid off onto the floor. The man who'd been sitting next to Hiro put his hands up like, "Not my fault." Tadashi snorted as Hiro sat up groggily and got back on the bench. Tadashi pushed himself right next to the bench and when Hiro dozed off again he flopped over against Tadashi instead of onto the floor. At the next stop an old man boarded the crowded bus. There were no seats left so Tadashi slid a sleeping Hiro onto his lap and gestured for the man to take Hiro's seat. The man smiled and nodded his thanks. Hiro opened his eyes, blinked at Tadashi, and then went back to sleep leaning against his brother. Thirty minutes later, the bus was mostly empty. Tadashi couldn't figure out how to put Hiro back on the bench now that there was space, but their stop was approaching.

"Hiro," Tadashi said softly.

"Five more minutes Dashi," Hiro muttered.

"Our stops coming up and I can't reach the wire, you dork," Tadashi said, shaking Hiro lightly. Hiro groaned, tried to push Tadashi's hands away, and ended up on the floor again. In the end, Hiro got up and pulled the wire. From the bus stop to the café, Tadashi had to keep stopping and waiting for Hiro. At the café, Hiro stumbled upstairs and collapsed on the bed still in his clothes. Tadashi stayed downstairs to show off his new chair to Aunt Cass. Baymax was able to carry Tadashi and the chair at the same time. Upstairs, Tadashi was able to fit in the narrow bathroom. He got ready for bed and threw a shoe at Hiro. Hiro jerked awake. "You need to put your pajamas on," Tadashi ordered. Hiro grumbled but did as he was told.

"Can I sleep with you again?" Hiro asked as Tadashi brushed his teeth.

"If you want. I might wake you up," Tadashi shrugged.

"Dude, we share a room. If you scream like last night you're going to wake me up no matter what," Hiro replied.

"I don't usually scream," Tadashi defended.

"Besides, I might wake you up," Hiro added.

"Whatever," Tadashi shrugged. Hiro crawled in bed with Tadashi and was asleep in minutes. Tadashi took longer to get to sleep. He watched the shadows creep along the ceiling as the moon rose.

For the first time since the fire, both Hiro and Tadashi slept without nightmares.


	12. Chapter 12

Hiro's alarm clock went off, but he didn't wake up. Tadashi did. The alarm was in Hiro's room and Hiro was between Tadashi and his wheelchair. "Hiro go shut off your alarm," Tadashi groaned. Hiro just rolled over. Tadashi shoved Hiro in the back. The alarm kept getting louder. "How can you sleep through this?" Tadashi muttered. "Go get the alarm," Tadshi hissed. Hiro groaned and tried to slide away from Tadashi. He ended up falling off the bed and taking the blankets with him.

"Ow!" Hiro hissed. Tadashi heard the familiar sound of Baymax whirring into action. Tadashi face palmed.

Baymax appeared in the doorway. "You have hurt yourself," Baymax remarked looking at Hiro. Hiro emerged from the pile of blankets and glared at Tadashi.

"You pushed me," he accused.

"You rolled off the bed," Tadashi defended.

"My head hurts," Hiro snapped.

"He's fine right Baymax," Tadashi asked looking at the nurse bot.

"My scan detects no signs of a concussion, but I will fetch an ice pack," Baymax replied.

"See, it's just a goose egg. Now go turn off the alarm clock," Tadashi ordered. With much grumbling Hiro got up and staggered to the other room and shut off the alarm. He walked back into Tadashi's room and flopped on the bed, on top of his brother. "Get off you dweeb," Tadashi snorted trying shove Hiro off. Hiro just lay crossways on Tadashi's chest and pretended to snore. "I swear I'm going to push you on the floor again," Tadashi threatened.

"So you admit it!" Hiro grinned. He rolled off Tadashi and smirked.

"I admit nothing," Tadashi fired back.

"Well then, I guess I'm going back to sleep," Hiro shrugged and flopped back on Tadashi.

"Umph," Tadashi moaned. "This really isn't fair Hiro."

"All's fair in love and war," Hiro giggled.

"Fine then," Tadashi licked his finger and shoved it in his little brother's ear. Hiro was off the bed in a flash, scrubbing at his ear, hopping in circles, and screeching. Tadashi pushed himself up on an elbow and laughed. Then Hiro slipped on the blankets he'd pulled down the floor and went down hard. Hiro hit the floor and for three heartbeats the boys were both silent then Hiro sniffled. "Hiro?" Tadashi asked. He pushed himself to the edge of the bed and looked over. Hiro was curled on the floor, holding his head, and trying not to cry.

"BAYMAX!" Tadashi screamed. His heart was pounding in his throat. "Hey, Hiro, take a deep breath. It's okay. Can you sit up slowly?" Tadashi coached gently. Hiro sat up, but he was still holding the side of his head.

"I think I hit the corner of the nightstand," Hiro whispered.

Baymax and Aunt Cass came running in. Tadashi pushed himself into a sitting position and watched at Baymax lifted Hiro up and set the kid on the bed. Hiro tried to swat Baymax's hands away when the robot forced Hiro to let him look at his head. Hiro had caught the corner of the nightstand right at the hairline above his left eye. "You do not have a concussion. I will put on an antibiotic and bandage," Baymax announced. Hiro flinched. The antibiotic spray stung. Baymax pressed a bandage over the cut and handed Hiro an icepack.

"What were you two doing?" Cass asked the two dejected looking Hamada boys. Hiro was holding the icepack to his head and staring at the floor. Tadashi was sitting on the edge of the bed guilt was written all over his face.

"We were wrestling," Hiro explained. "Tadashi gave me a wet willy and I tripped on the blankets."

"Sorry, Hiro," Tadashi said.

"No big deal. I did start it," Hiro shrugged. Cass sighed.

"I swear the two of you can't stay out of trouble for five minutes," she shook her head. "If you're going to class today, you better get ready," she said to Hiro. "I'll make breakfast, just get ready." Hiro nodded. As soon as Aunt Cass was gone, he slid over to Tadashi and punched him lightly in the shoulder.

"You know what this means right?" Hiro whispered.

"Huh?" Tadashi frowned.

"I've got to get revenge," Hiro smirked. Tadashi immediately clamped both hands over his ears. "Relax. I've got something much better in mind," Hiro chuckled.

"You know you sound downright evil when you do that right?" Tadashi clarified.

"What can I say? It just comes naturally," Hiro smirked.

"Well Mr. Natural you better get your butt ready for class and if I were you I'd change the band aid," Tadashi fired back. Hiro hopped off the bed and headed for the bathroom.

"Baymax!" Hiro yelled from the bathroom. "How many times have I told you pink band aids are for girls?!" Tadashi just chuckled.

Hiro headed off for school and Tadashi got ready for the day. Baymax carried him down to the café. The first customers were trickling, blurry eyed business men on their way to work and the odd college student. Cass waved as she jogged off to the pantry. Without even thinking, Tadashi grabbed his hat off the stair rail and rolled behind the counter. A man in a suit stepped up to the counter.

"I need a large coffee, black to with a blueberry muffin," the man ordered. Tadashi rang it up.

"Hey Baymax, want to fill the man's cup?" Tadashi asked. Baymax nodded. "Tallest cup and use the first pot on the left," Tadashi instructed. He grabbed the muffin out of the case, wrapped it up, and took the man's money. Baymax brought over the cup and Tadashi handed the man his food and his change. The guy smiled.

"Pretty slick operation," the man nodded towards Baymax. He dumped the change in the tip jar on the counter and left.

Aunt Cass came back with fresh coffee grounds and set to work refilling the pots. Tadashi and Baymax worked the counter. Tadashi relaxed into the familiar role. The three Hamadas worked together and the crowd thinned. When the majority of the customers were either seated eating or on their way out of the door with coffee, Cass handed Tadashi a plate with a cinnamon roll on it and pushed him out from behind the counter.

"You can come back after you've had breakfast," she insisted. Tadashi smiled at her mother-henning. Tadashi relaxed at a corner table. Baymax continued to help Cass. After breakfast, Tadashi went back to helping behind the counter. It was nice to be doing something productive. He taught Baymax how to make all the fancy coffees. There were only a few minor spills and other mishaps. The customers thought it was great. Several commented on Tadashi's hat and asked if he was an SFIT student to which Tadashi would respond, "Sort of. I am taking time off for recovery." He was asked twice if Baymax was actually a robot and not someone in a suit. Cass and Tadashi had a good laugh at that. By the time the lunch rush rolled around, Tadashi was in good spirits. No one had questioned his wheelchair or commented on the scars. Cass ducked upstairs to make lunch for her and Tadashi, leaving him and Baymax in charge of the café. A group of five college guys came in, sat down, and waved for Tadashi to come take their order. Tadashi frowned, but sent Baymax to get their orders. Then Tadashi went back to ringing up the woman he was currently helping.

"Hey dude, what kind of service is this?" One of the guys yelled. Tadashi glanced passed the woman to see the guys badgering Baymax, poking him with a fork and ignoring Baymax's protests. Baymax tried to back away and another one of the guys tripped the robot. Baymax's legs churned in the air for a moment. Tadashi's fist clenched.

"Excuse me ma'am. I need to take care of this," Tadashi politely excused himself and wheeled himself around the counter. Now all five guys were standing around Baymax preventing him from getting up. "Excuse me gentlemen," Tadashi snapped. They turned around and blinked in surprise. They'd seen the guy with the SFIT hat behind the counter, but hadn't realized he was in wheelchair. "That is my robot you're harassing," Tadashi told them. Immediately three of them stepped back from Baymax, giving the robot room to get up. One of Baymax's arms was deflated. No doubt they'd accidentally punctured it with the fork.

"Sorry, he's pretty funny. Who would have thought a robot barista," one of the guys apologized.

"I am not a barista. I am Baymax, Personal Healthcare Companion," Baymax corrected them. Now the guys were really embarrassed- all but one of them.

"I swear these places will hire anyone now. No offense but can you even do this job without robo-nurse?" the last guy challenged. His friends stared in shock.

"Actually I can," Tadashi corrected. He was irritated now. They'd tormented his robot and now they were insulting him and the café. "I've actually been working here since I was ten and I could do the job in my sleep. Baymax helps because my brother who used to work with me is at school and everything runs smoother when you've got someone running the counter and another making the drinks," Tadashi told them. He kept his voice polite.

"Oh…" was all the guy could think to say.

"Next time you see someone in a wheelchair don't be so quick to assume that they are any less self-sufficient than yourself," Tadashi lectured. "Now either order something or leave."

They rattled off their orders in quick succession and sat back down, thoroughly embarrassed. Tadashi made his way back to the counter. Baymax went to work on the coffees. Tadashi apologized to the woman and she left. Baymax was getting ready to deliver the drinks to the boys, but Tadashi stopped him and took the tray. Tadashi put the tray on his lap and rolled over to the table. Mentally he thanked GoGo again for making the chair move so smooth. The guys fell quiet when Tadashi handed them their drinks. As he turned to go, one of them cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry we were jerks. Really we didn't mean anything by messing with your robot. We just assumed it wasn't a big deal and stuff," he apologized. Tadashi rolled his eyes.

"Just be glad it was Baymax you were picking on. Had it been one of my brother's bots you might be needing some stitches right about now," Tadashi informed them.

"Does he bot fight or something?" the guys asked.

"You have no idea. I've had to bail him out so many times," Tadashi said. "Just keep that in mind, the nerds around here aren't as helpless as the ones you picked on in high school." Tadashi headed back to the counter. He helped several other customers. Cass came back downstairs and chased him out from behind the counter with instructions to eat lunch. Tadashi retreated to his corner table and picked at the bento box Cass had made him. He watched out the window at the people passing by. The guys paid Aunt Cass and filed out one by one. The guy who'd challenged Tadashi hesitated at the door and then walked over to Tadashi's table. "Can I help you?" Tadashi asked dryly.

"Are you Tadashi Hamada?" the guy blurted out

Tadashi blinked in surprise and reflexively looked up at the guy. The other guy was just as surprised as Tadashi. He hadn't noticed Tadashi's scared face because of the hat and the height difference. "Yeah," Tadashi said.

"I am so sorry, man. I know it's no excuse, but I am so sorry. I didn't think…" The guy ducked his head and practically ran out of the café to join his friends on the sidewalk.

"What was that about?" Tadashi muttered.

"You're kind of a big deal," Cass said. Tadashi hadn't heard her come over. She was drying a coffee mug.

"Why?" Tadashi asked in confusion.

"You're a hero. The robotics protégé who was willing to risk his life to rescue someone he cared about, the inventor of a true artificial intelligence. The whole city knows who you are. You and Callahagn were all they talked about on the news for weeks," Cass informed Tadashi. Tadashi stared at her in shock. "I believe the dean described you as the epitome of what an SFIT student should be- smart, kind, motivated, and determined to make the world a better place."

"I saw that they renamed the building, but I didn't think…" Tadashi trailed off.

"Get used to it," Cass ordered.

"It will die down," Tadashi insisted.

Cass shook her head. "Not until people get used to you."

"I don't want their pity or special treatment or anything," Tadashi groaned. "I just want to be treated like everyone else. I am not helpless."

"Some people are going to need convincing," Cass said with a shrug. "I'm sure you'll be able to prove them wrong pretty quick if you stop hiding." A customer walked up to the counter and Cass scurried off, leaving Tadashi to think about what she'd said. The truth was he was hiding. He was so scared of being treated differently, looked down on, and being incapable that he was avoiding even showing his face. Tadashi finished his lunch and went back to the counter. He adjusted his cap so it sat on his head normally, not hiding his face. This was his reality now. The scars might fade, but they would never go away totally. People were going to stare and he needed to get used to it. Yeah, he needed help, but he was far from helpless and the world needed to see that. The next customer to walk in smiled at Tadashi, and did his best not to stare. Tadashi fought the urge to duck his head and relax. Tadashi figured out pretty quickly that when he relaxed, smiled, and acted like his scars didn't bother him other people responded in kind. Cass smiled watching Tadashi. Not hiding under the hat was a big step on the road to getting Tadashi back into the world.


	13. Chapter 13

Hiro came home, saw Tadashi working in the café, and slipped in the garage. He finally had time to work on his project…

"Hiro's late," Cass commented. Tadashi looked at her in surprise. "Don't worry. He probably just got busy at the lab or something," Cass said, answering Tadashi's unspoken question. Two hours later, Hiro appeared in the café. He dropped his backpack on the floor by the counter and drug a chair behind the counter to sit by Tadashi.

"Good day?" Hiro asked Tadashi.

"Yeah, mostly. Some idiots popped Baymax's arm with a fork, so one of us need to patch it," Tadashi replied.

"Why didn't you sick Megabot on them?" Hiro frowned. Tadashi snickered.

"I seriously thought about it. I'm pretty sure they were new to the area, because they haven't learned that SFIT nerds aren't worth badgering," Tadashi shrugged.

"Just wait until they get into it with some bot fighter," Hiro grinned evilly.

"Easy there tiger. They were really apologetic after I talked to them," Tadashi said. Hiro rolled his eyes.

"Geez, it's not like I was planning to go hunt them down and beat them up or anything," he protested.

"With you I can never be too careful," Tadashi teased back. "By the way, what'd the gang think of your head wound?"

"I told everyone that my big brother beat me up. GoGo said I probably deserved it," Hiro shrugged. Tadashi burst out laughing. He reached over and ruffled Hiro's hair.

"Don't you always deserve it?" he teased.

"Just remember what goes around comes around," Hiro smirked.

"Hiro, you've been trying to prank me since you were five. Have you ever succeeded?" Tadashi smiled.

"No, but this time I'm going to," Hiro replied. His confidence had Tadashi only slightly worried.

That night, Cass ran Beat Poetry Night and Tadashi manned the counter. Hiro disappeared back to the garage. He reappeared around ten and ended up curled up on Tadashi's lap listening to the freestylers. When Cass finally shooed the last of the poets out, Hiro was asleep in Tadashi's chair. His feet hung over one arm and his head was resting against Tadashi's shoulder. It wasn't all that comfortable for Tadashi, but he wasn't going to complain, after all the kid needed all the sleep he could get. Cass saw her boys and had an overwhelming urge to go find the camera. Tadashi waved Baymax over and had him go put Hiro in bed, then Tadashi helped Aunt Cass with the dishes. When Tadashi made it upstairs, the lights were off and Hiro was in his own bed. Tadashi got in bed as quietly as possible. He was just drifting off to sleep when someone clamped a hand over his mouth and hissed his ear, "Be really quiet. Aunt Cass is sleeping and I've got something to show you." Hiro uncovered Tadashi's mouth and grinned down at him.

"Not cool!" Tadashi hissed. "You gave me a heart attack!"

"Get over it and hurry," Hiro ordered.

"Why couldn't you have shown me before bed?" Tadashi grumbled, but he did as he was told and got out of bed.

"It wasn't ready yet. I just finished," Hiro explained.

"You've been in bed," Tadashi said, confused.

"Naw, that was just some dirty clothes," Hiro grinned. "Baymax grab Tadashi and meet me in the garage," Hiro ordered the robot. "Don't bother to bring the chair."

Tadashi started to protest, but Hiro was already slipping out the door. Tadashi sighed and let Baymax carry him down to the garage. In the garage, Baymax set Tadashi on the couch. Hiro was running around, gathering up parts and pieces.

"I started working on the exo-suit after Baymax told me you had spinal damage," Hiro informed Tadashi excitedly. "I've had to change the design a dizen times and do tons of research and…"

"Hiro!" Tadashi managed to interrupt his little brother's ramblings. "An exo-suit like you built for the others won't work. Between the spinal damage and the nerve damage from the deeper burns there's no electrical impulses for them to read in my legs," Tadashi told Hiro. He waited for Hiro's face to fall, but Hiro just shook his head. Tadashi'd already thought about and researched that.

"I know. That was the first design I ended up scratching. Just give this a try. Okay?" Hiro said. Tadashi nodded. He didn't have the heart to tell Hiro that he doubted there wasn't anything that would work. Hiro finished rounding up all the little parts and pieces and brought them over to the couch. "This is the tricky part. I'm going to have to adjust the length of some of the pieces. Just hold still," Hiro instructed. Tadashi rolled his eyes, but did as he was told. Hiro talked while he assembled the suit around Tadashi.

"So the first design that I found that seemed like it could work was based off ReWalk's Bionic Marathon Suit. It functions more like a wearable robot than an exo-suit. There's a frame that you'd be strapped to for stability and your feet sit on like these pedal. The control is in a watch you'd wear on your wrist. You'd use that to change from sitting mode to standing to walking and then running modes. In walk or run mode you lean forward triggering the suit's gyroscope and making it walk. Kind of like a Segway. Its biggest issue is balance. You'd have to use crutches with it because of the whole leaning forward, throwing off your sense of balance thing," Hiro explained. "So I started wondering how I could fix the balance issues and I realized that the issue is the gyroscope has its limitations and the human brain is a much better gyroscope than anything I could ever build or buy. This design is based loosely off ReWalk's. I decided that it'd be better to make it more enclosed for increased stability and safety," Hiro continued. By this point, Hiro had Tadashi encased in red robotic armor to the knees. As he adjusted each piece Hiro fixed screwed them together. "Instead of the gyroscope at your waist like in their design, I built another neuralcranial transmitter. The hardest part has been adjusting the suit's components to respond to the transmitter. I've tested it a couple times and walking with the transmitter is really weird. It will definitely take some getting used to, but you can do it," Hiro sat back and admired his handiwork with a grin. The red armor covered Tadashi completely to the waist. Then a brace ran up Tadashi's spine and attached at his shoulder's. Hiro handed Tadashi a headband that looked almost exactly like the one Hiro had used with the microbots. Tadashi turned it over in his hands, examining the miniscule circuits. "Come on. Try it," Hiro urged. Tadashi slippedd the transmitter on and looked at Hiro.

"Now what?" he asked.

"No you stand up," Hiro grinned. He grabbed Tadashi's hands and pulled. "Think about straightening the legs."

Tadashi panicked. He barely managed to get the legs straight and then his balance was off. He almost fell on Hiro. Baymax had to grab Tadashi by the shoulders and straighten him up. "This is a bad idea," Tadashi muttered. Hiro snickered.

"I told you it's weird. You have to train your mind to think about walking. Try just lifting one foot up and balancing. Your brain should do the gyroscoping thing subconsciously," Hiro said. Tadashi looked unconvinced. "Baymax won't let you fall," Hiro added. Baymax nodded. Tadashi took a deep breath and focused on bending the suit's right knee and lifting. The suit responded instantly. Baymax let go of Tadashi. Tadashi wobbled, but didn't fall. He was able to keep his balance like he would have if he'd been standing on his own power. Carefully, Tadashi lowered his leg. Hiro was grinning like a maniac.

"This is really weird because I can't tell if my foot is on the ground or not," Tadashi said. Hiro just shrugged and took several steps back.

"Ready to try walking?" Hiro challenged.

It took Tadashi most of the night to get halfway decent at walking. He'd forget to focus on the suit and then throw his balance off leaning into walking while the suit didn't move. Baymax never let Tadashi hit the ground and Tadashi stopped worrying about falling. The clock said 4AM when Tadashi decided he'd got the hang of walking and was ready for bed. "Don't you want to try on the rest of the suit?" Hiro grinned mischievously.

"What do you mean?" Tadashi narrowed his eyes at Hiro.

"Well, you're going to need the rest of the armor if you want to come with Baymax and me," Hiro said. He was already pulling more armor out of the cabinets. Tadashi shrugged and let Hiro fit pieces over his chest and back. Hiro handed Tadashi a helmet and went to help Baymax get his armor on. That was officially the greatest thing Tadashi had ever seen. He laughed until he cried watching Hiro shove Baymax into the armor. With Baymax armored up, Hiro got his flight suit on. It went on significantly faster than Tadashi or Baymax's armor. "Ready?" Hiro asked. Baymax nodded.

"For what exactly?" Tadashi asked.

"Just put the helmet on," Hiro ordered, opening the garage door. "This is going to be epic…"


	14. Chapter 14

Tadashi shoved the helmet on and watched Hiro climb on Baymax's back. Hiro leaned over and whispered something to Baymax who nodded.

"What's going on?" Tadashi asked again. Hiro didn't reply. Instead, Baymax reached out and scooped Tadashi up. Tadashi struggled, but he was cradled against the robot's chest and there was no going anywhere. "HIRO?!" Tadashi warned. All he heard was Hiro chuckle evilly. Then Baymax's thrusters engaged. Tadashi squeezed his eyes shut and waited for them to smash into a building. It felt like they'd left his stomach in the garage. It was like the world's craziest rollercoaster. Baymax leveled off a couple hundred feet above the city and Tadashi opened his eyes. The sun's first rays were touching the mountains to San Fransokyo's east. The city was still gripped by the darkness. "Wow," Tadashi murmured. He'd only been on a plane once and he'd let Hiro have the window seat. This was so much better.

"Pretty great huh?" Hiro grinned. Tadashi tore his gaze away from the city below and looked up. Hiro was leaning over Baymax's shoulder, looking down.

"You gave me a heart attack," Tadashi snapped.

"Just wait," Hiro smirked. The two lapsed into silence. Baymax made a lazy circle above the city. The trams passed like glow worms and. From the air, the city had an unearthly quality. The neon glowed both familiar and frightening all at once. Tadashi understood the city's allure. There could be no other place on earth this beautiful, with its strange mix of cultures, old and new. The Institute was lit up and as Baymax circled back over the bay, Tadashi could see the Lucky Cat. Baymax landed on one of the Bay Bridge pylons and set Tadashi on his feet.

"Wow," was all Tadashi could say. How do you put the euphoria of flight into words?

"Flying makes me a better healthcare companion," Baymax agreed.

"You can say that again," Tadashi grinned.

"How are you feeling?" Hiro asked, "Not dizzy? The suit responding alright?" He stood on the edge of the pylon beside Tadashi.

"I'm fine, better than fine," Tadashi told him.

"Good," Hiro smiled. Tadashi glanced over at his little brother. That comment was said with far too much fake innocence. Hiro reached over and brushed the back of Tadashi's suit. "The transmitter runs all flight components," Hiro said. Tadashi twisted around, trying to see what Hiro had done. He caught sight of a red wing, much like Baymax's, in his peripheral vision.

"Hiro—?" Tadashi started. He didn't have a chance to finish.

Hiro shoved Tadashi in the back and yelled, "Thrusters!" The thrusters in Tadashi's boots propelled him away from the pylon and the wings slowed his fall some, but he'd still hit the water below with more than enough for to kill him. Tadashi's mind worked this out while he free fell, frozen in shock. Hiro didn't wait, but jumped after Tadashi. Baymax was close behind. "You've got to think! The transmitter controls flight!" Hiro yelled. Baymax was within arm's reach of both boys. If Tadashi didn't react in time, Baymax would grab them both. Hiro gritted his teeth. If Tadashi didn't fly this time, there was no way Hiro was going to get him to try again. The dark water was racing to meet Tadashi. Reflexively he started to struggle. The transmitter responded, tilting Tadashi skyward. It was an overcorrection. Tadshi shot upward passed Hiro and Baymax. Baymax grabbed Hiro and followed Tadashi. Tasashi was terrified. He was moving fast, faster than any human was meant to. Every time he even thought about shifting his body, the suit went careening off in a different direction. The wind turbines were too close for comfort. As he flew straight at one of the colorful colossuses, Tadashi realized that there are no breaks when you're flying. "Dive," Hiro ordered. Tadashi did as he was told, but he pulled too tight and ended up doing a midair summersault. He ended right-side up, hovering in the air. Baymax came to hover a few feet from Tadashi. Tadashi was shaking and his breath came in short puffs. "Nice," Hiro grinned and gave him thumbs up.

"I am going to kill you," Tadashi panted.

"You'll have to catch me first," Hiro replied. Then Baymax dropped. Tadashi froze he could hear Hiro cackling through the helmet. Baymax engaged his thrusters and did a backwards loop.

"Can you hear me?" Tadashi asked into the helmet.

"Duh," Hiro snorted. "Are you coming or what?"

"This isn't cool Hiro," Tadashi snapped.

"Liar. You love it. Baymax says your endorphins are higher than they've been since the day you got him working," Hiro said.

Tadashi sighed. His heart rate was slowing and now that he wasn't in imminent danger of dying, he could admit that this was pretty awesome. "I'm coming," he relented. Hiro just laughed. It took Tadashi a half hour to get comfortable with the thrusters and the steering. The sun was coming up, the neon lights were going out, and the ordinary part of the city was waking up. Tadashi followed Baymax and Hiro through the city. They wove between skyscrapers and chased the tams through tunnels. Below, people looked up. Awe was written on their faces. Some waved. A few cameras flashed. Tadashi beamed beneath the helmet and willed himself faster. He shot passed Baymax and spiraled up into the morning light. Hiro snorted and followed Tadashi. Above the city, Tadashi landed on one of the turbines. He staggered a couple steps and fell.

"Whoa, you okay?" Hiro asked, jumping off Byamx to run to Tadashi.

"Yeah. I just forgot how to walk?" Tadashi winced.

"Smooth," Hiro snorted. He plopped down beside Tadashi. Baymax sat on Tadashi's other side and the three Hamadas watched the last of the sunrise.

"Congratulations pipsqueak. You and Baymax made the morning news," GoGo's voice came through the helmets.

"GoGo?" Tadashi blinked in surprise.

"Tadashi? Huh, didn't see any shots of you yet," GoGo remarked.

"What's up?" Hiro interrupted.

"There's a pileup on the 43rd street suspension bridge. Crews are on their way and it's hard to tell how bad things are from the news shots, but it looks like they could uses some help," GoGo explained.

"Alright, we'll go check it out," Hiro grinned.

"I'll keep you posted in the news gets any updated," GoGo replied. Hiro stood up.

"Are you coming?" he asked Tadashi.

"Like I'm going to let you get into trouble without me?" Tadashi said. It took him a couple tries to stand up, but the Hamadas were in the air less than a minute after GoGo called them. The boys circled over the bay towards the 43rd street bridge. It spanned a finger of the bay, connecting the peninsula part of San Fransokoyo to the main land suburbs. As the Hamadas got closer, it became obvious that this wasn't just a series of fender-benders. Cars were turned all directions. Smoke covered the middle of the bridge and Hiro could see the telltale glow of flames beneath the smoke. Hiro's attention was immediately drawn to a van hanging precariously over the edge of the bridge. "I'll start getting people out of the van while you and Baymax try to pull it back on the bridge," Tadashi ordered.

"Right," Hiro nodded and the brothers separated. Tadashi hovered outside the van. Inside a man and woman urged a toddler and an older child to stay still as possible. They saw Tadashi and immediately pointed to the backseat. Tadashi nodded. Baymax and Hiro had landed on the bridge. "Baymax's got a hold of the bumper. Go ahead and try the door," Hiro told Tadashi. Tadashi slid the back driver side door open. An older boy, maybe ten, held his sister, maybe three, as still as possible.

"Hiro, how do I open the visor? I need to talk to them," Tadashi asked.

"There's a button on the side below your right ear that will put you on speaker. It changes your voice too," Hiro explained. "Hurry I'm worried about the bumper holding."

"Okay buddy. You're being really brave taking care of your sister," Tadashi told the boy. "I'm going to get all of you out, but I can only take two at a time and I can't land on the car so I need you to do exactly as I say. Okay?" Tadashi kept his voice calm. The boy nodded. "Bring you sister to the door and hold her up. I will take her and then I need you to jump. I promise I will catch you," Tadashi ordered. The boy went pale, but he nodded. He stood up and tiptoed to the door. THe little girl was squirming, scared no doubt, but the boy managed to hoist her up to his shoulder. Tadashi maneuvered himself very carefully as close as he dared and was able to pull the girl into his chest. He backed away from the van, worried about hitting it and upsetting the balance. "I'll count to three and you need to jump," Tadashi ordered. "One… Two… THR-" The kid jumped before Tadashi had a chance to hit three. Tadashi sagged slightly under the kids' weight, but managed to drop them on the bridge.

"Baymax says the weights shifted enough, have the parents crawl out the back," Hiro ordered.

"Got it," Tadashi nodded. He relayed the message and then landed on the bridge. Hiro and Baymax helped the couple out the back hatch of the van and started pulling it back to safety.

"HELP!" My son's in there!" a woman screamed. Tadashi turned to see the young woman running up. He glanced at the cloud of smoke.

"Don't you dare," Hiro snarled through the helmets.

"Baymax, where's the kid?" Tadashi asked ignoring Hiro.

"Thirty feet in, center of the road. Everyone else is making their way clear," Baymax responded.

"Please, he's strapped in his car seat. I thought he was safer there, but the fire is spreading," the woman sobbed.

"I must advise against this," Baymax said.

Tadashi locked eyes with Hiro. "This suit's insulated and flame proof isn't it," he asked.

"Yes," Hiro whispered.

"Get people clear. We do not need anyone else getting trapped by the flames," Tadashi ordered. He turned and headed for the flames.

"Alright people. We need to get off this bridge," Hiro yelled. He started trying to herd the crowd away from the spreading smoke. "Go after Tadashi," Hiro ordered Baymax. The robot glanced at the van. "Drop it. Tadashi's more important," Hiro said.

"He will be alright," Baymax said, but he let the van slide off the edge and splash into the bay. Baymax followed Tadashi into the smoke.

"There's an internal oxygen supply," Hiro said into the helmet. "Activate it with the button on the other side of your head."

"Got it," Tadashi replied. Hiro continued to shoo people closer to the shore and Tadashi kept talking. "I've checked several cars. They're all empty… Found the kid. I'm getting him out of the car. I'll be out in a minute," Tadashi wasn't sure who he was reassuring, Hiro or himself. A fire was raging far too close for comfort and the smoke was thick. Tadashi got the door open and unbuckled the six year old boy. The child was coughing weakly. Tadashi cradled the boy against his chest and looked around. The smoke was disorienting. Tadashi didn't know what exactly was on fire, but he did know the flames were getting too close for comfort to the cars. They needed to get to safety. The kid was struggling to breath. Without thinking, Tadashi took a deep breath, pulled the helmet off and stuck it over the little boy's head. He stirred slightly in Tadashi's arms as the fresh oxygen replaced the toxic fumes. The smoke burned Tadashi's lungs. He forced himself to walk faster. He could only hope he was headed the right direction. Tadashi started coughing. His chest felt tight. Every breath burned.

Hiro was frantic. He stood on the edge of the smoke cloud and yelled Tadashi's name. There was no answer.

Tadashi's vision was swimming when Baymax loomed out of the smoke like one of hero's from Fred's comic books. Baymax took the boy from Tadashi and offered Tadashihis other arm. Tadashi made his way out of the smoke, leaning heavily on Baymax. Hiro ran straight to Tadashi. The media hovered on the edge of the bridge. Baymax lowered Tadashi to the ground. Tadashi was on his hands and knees coughing. One arm clutched his chest. Breathing hurt. His eyes ran from the smoke. Baymax took the helmet off the boy, handed it to Hiro, and carried the boy to the waiting ambulance. Hiro took the helmet and jammed it on Tadashi's head. Tadashi tried to struggle. He didn't want his face covered, but he stopped fighting when the fresh oxygen started to clear his lungs.

"Get us out of here," Hiro said to Baymax. He climbed into position on the robot's back. Baymax picked up Tadashi and took off.


	15. Chapter 15

Baymax set them down in a park. Tadashi rolled away from Baymax, ripped the helmet off, and puked. Hiro hovered over Tadashi. His face was pinched with worry. "I'm alright," Tadashi said when he'd stopped coughing up phlegm. Tadashi sat up and looked at Hiro and Baymax. Hiro looked unconvinced. "Am I alright Baymax?" Tadashi asked in exasperation. His voice was slightly more raspy than normal and he really wanted a drink.

"I recommend some pain medicine and rest. Coughing like that and smoke inhalation are both dangerous, but I detect no serious or lasting damage," Baymax stated.

"So all's well that ends well," Tadashi said.

"I should never have let you come with me," Hiro whispered.

"I don't think it was a matter of you letting me do anything," Tadashi replied.

"You have to be careful!" Hiro yelled.

"Had I not been there would you have gone in after the kid?" Tadashi asked.

"That's not the point!" Hiro snapped.

"Yes it is! I'm not stupid enough to think I can keep you from doing stuff like this and I'm not convinced that I should even try. But that doesn't mean I'm going to sit home while you put yourself in danger," Tadashi argued.

"I don't expect you to sit home. That's why I built the suit. I do expect you to not run straight into a fire," Hiro screamed back.

"You would have if I hadn't," Tadashi snapped.

"I can walk and run without having to think about it. I would have waited for Baymax," Hiro snapped back.

"I'll be more careful next time," Tadashi shrugged.

"What if there isn't a next time?" Hiro asked. Tadashi frowned. "We buried a handful of ash!" Hiro screamed. Tadashi stared at Hiro, frozen. Then the first sob slipped between Hiro's lips. The tears took Tadashi by surprise. In an instant all the fight went out of Hiro. The anger vanished. Tadashi reached for Hiro, but Hiro danced out of his reach. "I didn't even get to say goodbye," Hiro choked out between sobs. Tadashi's face fell. He'd been so wrapped up in everything that he hadn't thought…

"Hiro…" Tadashi whispered. Hiro buried his face in his hands and cried harder. His whole body shook. Hiro had watched Tadashi disappear into the smoke on the bridge half convinced he wasn't coming back. Again. Tadashi stood up, walked over to Hiro, and wrapped him in a hug. Hiro buried his face in Tadashi's chest. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't think. I guess that's kind of a problem for me," Tadashi apologized.

"Yeah it is," Hiro sniffled.

"I promise I won't leave. I will be careful around fires. I'll wait for Baymax," Tadashi soothed. He held Hiro close and swayed side to side like he used to do when Hiro was little. Those were the days. Everything was simple. Hiro's greatest fear was playground bullies and Tadashi could fix that easy enough.

"Fair enough," Hiro murmured.

"But I'm not going to let you take all the risks. I am your big brother after all," Tadashi added.

"Fine. I just want you to be careful. I don't think I could stand to lose you again," Hiro replied. He let Tadashi hold him for a while longer before pulling away and wiping his face. "We need to get home…" Hiro sighed. Tadashi nodded. Now that the adrenaline was gone, he felt nauseous and he had a pounding headache. The nausea was from the smoke, but the headache had been building all day. Tadashi had a sinking suspicion that it was from the transmitter. Baymax picked up both of his charges and flew them home. Back at the Lucky Cat, Hiro helped Tadashi strip the armor off and pack it away. Baymax carried Tadashi up stairs and Hiro padded along behind. Baymax put Tadashi on the bed. Tadashi was exhausted. He closed his eyes and felt sleep calling. Hiro hesitated for a second before climbing in beside Tadashi.

Cass woke to the sound of Baymax digging through the kitchen. "What are you doing?" she asked from the kitchen doorway.

"Tadashi has a headache," Baymax replied, showing her the pills and the glass of water.

"You're the greatest," Cass yawned.

Baymax came back with ibuprofen and a glass of water which Tadashi gratefully accepted. He and Hiro were both asleep in a matter of minutes. Baymax climbed in the charging station.

Cass clicked on the news and stared in shock at the footage of Big Hero 6's members rescuing a family from the minivan hanging off the bridge. The newscasters were perplexed. They'd seen the members of Big Hero 6 act independently before, but the man in red with wings was new. He disappeared into the smoke and they speculated about whether or not the name needed to be changed to Big Hero 7. Cass shut the TV off and tiptoed upstairs. Tadashi and Hiro were both asleep. Tadashi kept coughing and Hiro was snoring lightly. Hiro's hair was plastered to his forehead. Helmet hair. The faint scent of smoke filled the room, but both boys looked alright. Baymax was hibernating in his charging station. Cass knew he wouldn't be if either of the boys were hurt. Cass sighed. Like Tadashi, she knew it would be next to impossible to stop Hiro, but that didn't mean she had to like it. They'd need to have a conversation about this hero thing, lay down some ground rules. She was waiting for Hiro to admit to the whole Big Hero 6 thing, but after this Cass wasn't sure she could wait for Hiro to tell her. She shook her head and headed back downstairs. Cass wasn't sure if she was glad Tadashi was out with Hiro or not. Maybe between him and Baymax they could keep Hiro out of trouble, Cass mused. In the kitchen, she started a pot of coffee and decided to wait and see what happened next.


	16. Chapter 16

Tadashi spent the weekend paying for his Friday night/Saturday morning escapades. It felt like his skull was being split in half. He woke up around noon on Saturday. Every sound and movement hurt. Cass insisted Baymax scan Tadashi half a dozen times in the first hour. Baymax's diagnosis was the same every time- sensory overload. After that, Tadashi spent the day dozing in his room. The pain medicine barely took the edge off. It turned the screaming headache into a numbing ache as long as everything was quiet. Coughing fits were agony. Tadashi's chest was tight and sore and the movement set his head off. Sunday evening, Tadashi started to come back around. The headache was still present, but it was manageable. "If it's not gone by tomorrow afternoon, I'm taking you to the doctor whether you like it or not," Cass insisted.

"It really does feel a world better tonight," Tadashi soothed. Cass just shook her head and cleared up the dinner dishes. Hiro jumped to help.

Tadashi turned in early for the night, but he was awake by 1AM. Hiro had yet to come to bed. Tadashi had Baymax carry him and the wheelchair downstairs. Hiro was slumped over the kitchen table sound asleep. Tadashi rolled over to him and nudged Hiro's shoulder.

"Huh?" Hiro muttered sitting up.

"You should go to bed. All your accomplishing is giving the paper a nice water splotched look. I'm sure the professors will love it," Tadashi teased.

"I wasn't drooling," Hiro defended. "Besides it's not for school."

"What is it then?" Tadashi asked, sliding closer to get a look. "Why are you reading a senior level biology book?"

"I'm trying to figure out why the neurotransmitter hurt you," Hiro explained. "I can't figure it out." Hiro groaned and rubbed his eyes.

"Baymax told you why," Tadashi said. "Sensory overload. The transmitter puts extra strain on the brain which means headaches from hell," Tadashi shrugged.

"Yeah, but there's got to be a way around that," Hiro muttered glancing at his notes.

"I doubt it. This is why I didn't like you practicing with the microbots for hours on end," Tadashi replied. Hiro frowned. He vaguely remembered getting headaches when he was preparing for the showcase, but he'd always chocked them up to stress.

"There's got to be a way. I'm not giving up," Hiro muttered.

"Hiro, it's okay. I just can't wear the suit all the time and that's not a bad thing. Yeah I miss walking and being able to climb stairs, but I'm getting used to it. I can't live my life mourning the fact that I'm paralyzed or waiting for a cure," Tadashi insisted. Hiro just sighed. "Come on. You need sleep. Class is going to start early tomorrow," Tadashi prodded.

"Are you coming with me?" Hiro yawned. He stood up. Baymax picked Tadashi up and followed Hiro back to the bedroom.

"If you mean to bed, then yes. If you mean to 8AM History of Computers, not a chance," Tadashi chuckled.

"How about lab time at 10:15 when History gets out?" Hiro asked.

"We'll see," Tadashi shrugged. He pulled the blankets back up and waited for Hiro to climb in beside him.


	17. Chapter 17

Tadashi didn't come to class the next day or the day after that. Hiro walked into the lab each day and shook his head in response to GoGo and Fred's unasked question. "I don't know if he can do it yet," Hiro groaned.

"Did you take him flying again?" Fred asked. "Nothing like a little superhero-ing to boost the confidence."

"No. He isn't in a hurry to try the suit again," Hiro sighed, hopping up on the counter beside GoGo.

"Do you really blame him? He was down for two days in excruciating pain after the last time," GoGo replied.

"Maybe he'll adjust if he uses it a lot in small stints?" Hiro suggested.

"Maybe," GoGo relented, but she had her doubts. "Just don't force him or anything."

"I won't," Hiro said.

Hiro came home from school to find Tadashi working in the café.

Wednesday, Tadashi woke as Hiro left. The kid tried to be quiet, but he was pretty much a zombie in the mornings. Tadashi lay in bed for another hour and then forced himself to get up. He wheeled himself into the bathroom and showered. Tadashi paused, half dressed and stared at the reflection in the mirror. He was gaining back the weight he'd lost while in the hospital. The muscles in his back and shoulders stood out clearly. The scars were healing well, changing from fragile pink skin to true scars. Tadashi pulled his shirt on and ran a brush through his hair. It didn't lie quite like he wanted it to. It was short enough that it wanted to stand up. Tadashi shrugged it off. If Hiro could run around looking like a porcupine, he could handle a few out of place tufts. Baymax was waiting for Tadashi at the top of the stairs.

"You are going out," Baymax stated.

"Yeah," Tadashi nodded. "Will you hand me my hat?" Baymax passed Tadashi the baseball cap and helped him downstairs.

"When is the bus coming?" Cass asked when Tadashi appeared in the café.

"Soon," Tadashi shrugged.

"Is Baymax going with you?" Cass asked.

"I don't know. I don't need him to, but if he wants to he's welcome," Tadashi shrugged. He turned to Baymax.

"I would like to go see the others," Baymax said.

"Alright then. I guess Baymax and I are headed out," Tadashi said.

"I'm so proud of you," Cass couldn't help beaming.

"It's not a big deal Aunt Cass. It's just college," Tadashi tried to down play it. Aunt Cass didn't need to know how nervous he was. Cass ignored Tadashi's attempt to down play it and wrapped him in a hug.

"Last hug," she declared. Tadashi hugged her back and Baymax decided to wrap them both in a big hug.

"Just think. Three Hamadas at SFIT at the same time. The world better look out," Cass grinned. Tadashi smiled and head for the door. He spun around and pushed the door open with the back of the chair rather than waiting for Baymax to open it. The sun was bright, the bus was on time, and Tadashi arrived at the Institute just before 10AM. He and Baymax made their way passed the Tadashi Hamada performance hall and into the robotics building. Tadashi ducked his head as he passed the building bearing his name. He wasn't really comfortable with that yet. The lab was mostly empty this early. Fred dozed in his chair. Tadashi smiled at that.

"Just like old times," he whispered to Baymax. The robot nodded. Tadashi rolled over to the coffee pot, filled it up, and started it. Not much had changed since he'd met GoGo at the week before. Some of the offices and work areas had new name plates beside them. He was surprised at how many of them were full. Most of the work areas were shared by two or three students from a similar major. Tadashi'd only had a space to himself because his partner had graduated the semester before. Tadashi smiled when he saw his name besides Hiro's on the door. Tadashi pushed his way inside. "Prop the door open, Baymax, please," Tadashi asked. Baymax pushed the doorstop into place and followed Tadashi into the room. "This is a lot more organized than I was expecting," Tadashi said looking around the room.

"He's only been straightening up since you got out of the hospital," a familiar voice said. Tadashi turned around to see Wasabi filling the doorway.

"You are injured," Baymax said.

"Huh? Oh," Wasabi blinked in surprise and then glanced at the bandage around his left hand. "It's no big Baymax. Someone bumped me while I was demonstrating my laser cutter. It's not deep. The doctor there said I didn't even need stitches," he explained.

Baymax nodded. "The bandages will need changed in a few hours."

"Alrighty. You can help," Wasabi shrugged. Baymax nodded again and wondered off to check on the coffee pot Tadashi had abandoned. Wasabi stepped out of Baymax's way and shook his head. "That's one special robot you built," he told Tadashi.

"I'm not so sure I can take credit for him anymore," Tadashi admitted. "He's practically human."

"Dude, you have no idea," Wasabi said shaking his head. "Just wait until you see him in the lab with everyone. He totally babies the freshmen. It's so good to have you back," Wasabi grinned.

"It's good to be back," Tadashi returned his friend's easy smile. Wasabi was just easy to be around. It was like he didn't even notice the wheelchair or the scars. "You going to sit down and tell me about this presentation in DC or am I going to have to read about it in the campus newspaper," Tadashi asked.

Wasabi grabbed a chair and sat down opposite Tadashi. "It was so cool. It was heaven. Everything was absolutely perfect. Picture it a whole conference center set up wall to wall with tables of stones- cut uncut, and already made into jewelry- and tools. The tools man! And not a thing was out of place. Jewelers, those are my kind of people," Wasabi sighed. "They had a total flip out when I showed them my tools. You have no idea how many times I got told 'this is going to revolutionize the jewelry industry.' It was a really good thing I had three cutters, because everyone wanted to try them. Hence I have a cut on my hand. Some idiot tried to grab the one I was using." Tadashi listened to Wasabi's story with a smile. Fred woke up to the smell of coffee and Wasabi's deep laugh. Baymax was pouring two cups from the pot and at Fred's moan, he picked another cup off the shelf and filled it as well. Fred accepted the coffee with a frown.

"If you're here does that mean Tadashi is-?" Fred started.

"Tadashi is here," Baymax said. Fred swore the robot was smiling.

"WHOOO! Gang's all together," Fred yelled, hopping out of his seat and running for Tadashi and Hiro's office.

"Hey Fred," Wasabi grinned.

"How long have you two been here? Why did nobody wake me up?" Fred demanded.

"Long enough to start the coffee pot and I at least figured you could use the sleep," Tadashi replied.

"Pssh. Sleep is for the weak," Fred brushed it off. He pulled up a chair beside Wasabi and looked at the other two, "So what are we talking about?"

"I was just telling Tadashi about the presentation," Wasabi said.

"Sweet! Let's hear it," Fred grinned. Wasabi started over.

The three boys and Baymax sat and talked until GoGo and Hiro got out of class and appeared in the doorway. Hiro proceeded to punched Tadashi in the shoulder. "You didn't say you were coming!" Hiro whined.

Tadashi held up his hands to block Hiro and chuckled, "Didn't know you were my babysitter."

"I was going to set up a surprise party," Hiro complained. Tadashi just rolled his eyes. Eventually the lab started to fill up as other students finished up with lectures. Hiro put Tadashi to work on a small robotic arm.

"I promised I'd help Maggie figure out how to make the fingers work independently. I think there's a wiring issue, but I can't find it and she needs it for tomorrow," Hiro said.

"I see how it is. I'm the guy who swoops in at the last minute and saves the day," Tadashi teased.

"No you're just the only other robotic genius I know," Hiro said. Tadashi took the arm and started working. "Bio sesnsors?" Tadashi asked after a minute.

"Yeah, she's a Bio Engineering major. I thought she did pretty good considering she hasn't had much in the way of robotics instruction," Hiro said. He pulled his chair up to the work bench beside Tadashi and pulled a small square bot out of the drawer.

"That better not be for bot fighting," Tadashi warned.

"For you information, it is a search and rescue drone. Or it will be," Hiro groaned. Hiro pushed hard on the bot and the cube unfolded. The sides of the cube were the blades of a small helicopter.

"Nice, does it fly? What about small spaces?" Tadashi leaned over to watch Hiro tinker with the bot.

"Yes it flies. That's about all it does right now. I've installed heat sensors and all the standard stuff. In small spaces, it folds the wings and walks," Hiro grinned. He turned the bot over, showing Tadashi the treadmill like underside of the bot.

"That's pretty awesome. How about sonar? What's its range," Tadashi asked.

"Sonar's a good idea. I hadn't thought about that…" Hiro trailed off and stared at the bot's body. "I might need a bigger body, maybe I can just rearrange stuff,"Hiro muttered. "Right now I'm trying to work on increasing its range and its coding," Hiro told his brother. "I don't want it to be just a remote control. There are plenty of those. I want it to be like Baymax, sort of," Hiro grinned at Tadashi. "Just think if it could use its sensors and make judgments on its own. You'd never have to worry about it getting out of controller range or the signal getting blocked. They could patrol dangerous areas 24/7, like avalanche drones or you could have one dedicated to a specific beach. This guy is smaller than I want them to be. Ideally they'd carry basic supplies- flares, first aid supplies that kind of thing- and be able to heat up like Baymax," Hiro was on a roll.

"Wow. You've put a lot of thought into this. What prompted the idea?" Tadashi smiled.

"There was an avalanche at one of the ski resort while you were in the hospital. It was during the night and no one realized it had taken some skiers until the next morning. Baymax and I watched the search on TV and he said something about how the world needed more robots because they aren't breakable like humans and that got me thinking. They had to suspend the search because of the sheer cold. What if they'd had an armored Baymax? He could have continued the search. Then I saw the drones they were using and well here's my project for the year," Hiro explained. "It wouldn't be any good for bot fighting. Most places don't allow flying bots," Hiro added. Tadashi snorted, but went back to work on the arm.

"Why not just install a scanner like Baymax's?" Tadashi offered.

"I can't figure out how to make one," Hiro admitted.

"It's in my notes you knucklehead," Tadashi snorted.

"Some of the stuff you had at the university didn't make it home or it's in a box unsorted. I think someone just dumped your desk in boxes," Hiro admitted.

"Didn't you work on Baymax's scanner?" Tadashi frowned.

"Yeah, but I just amplified it and I don't want to mess with him too much," Hiro said.

"Fair enough. I can probably help you make another scanner. I did enough work on Baymax's that I think I should be able to put one together pretty easily," Tadashi offered.

"That'd be awesome," Hiro grinned. The two lapsed into an easy silence, each working on their own project.


	18. Chapter 18

A while later Tadashi had sent Hiro with Fred and Wasabi to go get lunch. He stared at the advanced prosthetic arm and glared as if the sheer force of will could bend the technology to his will. He'd found the problem. In soldering the circuits together on the motherboard, a messy solder had caused the electricity to literally skip over the pieces that controlled the pinky and ring fingers. It should have been an easy fix except that Tadashi's hands wouldn't stop shaking. It wasn't the first time he'd noticed the slight tremor, but it was the first time it had been an issue. In his mind, Tadashi heard the doctor talking about nerve damage he was guaranteed to have. They wouldn't know the extent until the bandages came off and he went back for a follow up appointment. The appointment was in two days. The harder Tadashi tried to make his hands not shake, the worse it got. He'd put away the soldering iron. He was too worried about damaging some miniscule piece of circuitry to even attempt a repair. Tadashi pushed the arm away and sighed. Hiro would have to fix it. Tadashi reached for his coffee cup, found it empty, and decided to go see if he needed to put more in the pot. Tadashi pushed himself back into the main lab. All around people were working. No one glanced twice at the guy in a wheelchair and SFIT hat. The way he moved around the lab implied a level of comfort that they associated with upperclassmen. It didn't matter that none of them remembered seeing a student in a wheelchair in the lab before. The pot was almost empty. Tadashi poured the dregs in his cup and started a fresh pot.

"Heads up!" a voice yelled. Tadashi turned just in time to have a small helicopter crash into his shoulder. It landed on its side by his chair. "I'm so sorry!" a blonde kid came running up to Tadashi. "I'd adjusting the controls and I'm not so good at flying it yet, but it's too windy to test outside," he babbled.

"It's no big deal. Is your copter okay?" Tadashi said.

"Uh, yeah," the guy said looking it over.

"Freshman?" Tadashi asked with a knowing smile. The guy was flustered.

"Yeah. In Aeronautical Engineering. I'm studying drones," he stammered.

"Cool, so this must be your first lab class," Tadashi smiled.

"It's actually my first day. Is it that obvious?" the guy blushed. He was doing his best not to stare at the scars on Tadashi's face.

"Kind of, but that's not bad," Tadashi laughed.

"Well, sorry again for hitting you. My name's Ethan by the way," the blonde kid offered.

"Tadashi Hamada, Junior in Computer Engineering," Tadashi said offering his hand. Ethan's eyes widened, but he shook the offered hand. Like every other SFIT student, he knew the story of Tadashi Hamada- genius and tragic hero. And here he was shaking hands like he was just anybody. "Welcome to the Nerd Lab. If you ever have any questions, I'm in the first office with my little brother," Tadashi grinned. Ethan just nodded. Tadashi took his coffee and headed back to the office. He just brushed Ethan's odd behavior at the end off. As a general rule freshmen were confused, sleep deprives, and excited about everything. Tadashi smiled thinking back on his first days at SFIT- the stress of trying to find classes and getting settled into the lab, meeting new people in a blur of names and faces. Those were good days. Ethan carried his modified helicopter back to his lab group.

"Guys, you aren't going to believe who I just met…" he began.

Tadashi was sorting through Hiro's notes on the rescue drone when he heard a tentative knock on the doorframe. "Come in," he called without looking up.

"Mr. Hamada, it's Ethan. I was wondering if you could check my code," Ethan stammered.

"Sure, come on in," Tadashi said. "And it's just Tadashi."

"Okay," Ethan nodded. He handed Tadashi a thumbdrive which Tadashi shoved in the computer. The code popped up and Tadashi started scanning it.

"Looks pretty good. There are a couple of redundant bits, but not bad. It should work," Tadashi nodded handing the drive back to Ethan.

"Thanks," Ethan smiled. He hesitated.

"Need any other help?" Tadashi asked.

"My friends and I can't find our next class on the map," Ethan muttered scuffing his toe on the floor. Tadashi burst out laughing. Ethan looked mortified. He was turning a stunning shade of pink.

"Sorry. I'm not laughing at you. I'm just thinking back on my freshman days," Tadashi apologized trying not to snicker at the freshman's expression. "My first day I ended up in History of Music instead of Physics," Tadashi added. "Let me see your schedules," Tadashi said.

Hiro came back in carrying boxes of pizza to find his brother surrounded by freshmen. Tadashi was telling them about the different professors and classes.

"GoGo was right. You are the den mother," Hiro teased. Tadashi stuck his tongue out at Hiro and pulled a face.

"I swear all guys are just giant six year olds," GoGo said shoving Hiro lightly. Wasabi and Fred followed her into the office. The freshmen started trickling out for their next classes. Hiro pulled up a chair, GoGo hopped up on the counter, Fred dug sodas out of the fridge under the work bench, and Wasabi started handing out slices of pizza.

"Peperoni for GoGo, Meat Lover's Supreme for Fred, some disgusting thing with fish on it for Hiro, and Cheese for Tadashi," Wasabi muttered as he passed around plates, before pulling up a chair beside Hiro. Tadashi stared in horror at Hiro's pizza.

"You are going to get food poisoning," Tadashi declared. "What is on that?!"

"Anchovies, peperoni, and pineapple," Hiro said. He rolled his eyes and took a big bite. "Is eally ood," Hiro added with his mouthful, "Want some?" Tadashi just shuddered in revulsion. Even Fred looked skeptical. Hiro shrugged.

"We got him a personal pizza for a reason," Wasabi told Tadashi. "He's worse than Fred when it comes to food."

"I'm not so sure about that. I distinctly remember Fred eating some pretty fuzzy food," Tadashi replied.

"Hey!" Fred protested. "I have standards."

"Yes, but you also tend to 'recycle,'" GoGo inturupted, making air quotes with her fingers.

"That's laundry and that's different," Fred defended. "No one likes doing laundry."

Tadashi relaxed, content to be surrounded by his friends. The only one missing was Honey and she was supposed to be back within the next two days. For the moment, the robot arm sat out of the way, mostly forgotten and the tremors in his hand were no big deal.


	19. Chapter 19

After lunch, the others left Tadashi and Hiro alone again. "I found the problem. The solder's messy here," Tadashi said holding the arm out to Hiro.

"How did I miss that?" Hiro muttered. "I'll take it back to Maddie and she can fix it," Hiro said.

"So... is she cute?" Tadashi couldn't resist teasing.

"Shut up," Hiro muttered.

"Should I take that as a yes?" Tadashi smirked.

"She's cute, but too old for me," Hiro admitted. The tips of his ears turned pink. Tadashi laughed as his little brother practically ran out of the office. Tadashi glanced around the office and saw a familiar notebook on top of a stack of papers. Tadashi picked up his design journal and flipped through it. He smiled at the early designs. Baymax like robots appeared about halfway through. There were other projects, some he'd started others that had never made it passed the rough sketch. With Baymax essential finished, he needed to pic a new project. Tadashi stared at his hands. Holding the notebook they were steady enough, but the tremor was there. He'd never be able to build the tiny, precise circuity needed for most of these designs unless he could stop the tremor. Tadashi closed the notebook and sighed. It felt like every time he started to regain control of his life, some other piece fell apart.

"Rough first day back?" Honey asked tentatively. She was standing in the doorway. Tadashi smiled at the sight.

"Something like that. I thought you weren't supposed to be home for another day or two," Tadashi grinned.

"I came home early. I needed to be back here," Honey shrugged. "Can I come in?"

"I thought I told you a long time ago that you never needed to ask," Tadashi said. Honey smiled at that. She took Hiro's chair beside Tadashi and picked up the notebook he'd set down.

"Picking a new project?" she asked leafing through the book.

"Sort of," Tadashi replied. It was obvious Honey had spent a good chunk of her break outside. Tadashi could see the tan line around her ankles and her hair was sun-bleached in spots. She looked good. "How was your family?" Tadashi asked, changing the subject.

"Same as ever. I helped Dad in the garden every day. Hence the fabulous sock tans," Honey smiled. "It was really good to see them." She paused on the first drawing of Baymax that actually looked like Baymax. "You have a lot of ideas in here. I feel like it shouldn't be too hard of a decision. Anything out of here would be great," she said, handing the notebook back to Tadashi.

"Problem is I can't build any of them," Tadashi sighed.

"What do you mean?" Honey frowned. Tadashi set the notebook on the counter and picked up a pen.

"Watch my hands," he told her. Tadashi held the pen in the air and the tip shook frantically. Honey's eyes widened and her shoulders slumped. She knew as well as Tadashi that this would be a problem.

"Why?" she asked.

"Nerve damage," Tadashi shrugged. He tried to downplay it, but Honey knew him to well. Her eyes shone with pity. "I'm fine. Don't worry. I'll figure something out-" Tadashi started. Honey cut him off by wrapping him in a hug. Tadashi blinked in surprise, but wrapped his arms around her.

"I missed you," she whispered. Tadashi tightened his grip ever so slightly. When Honey pulled away, both of them were blinking back tears. "I'm not worried about you," she said with a slight smile. "You're the smartest and most stubborn person I have ever met. You will figure something out," Honey said it with absolute conviction. Tadashi wiped his eyes and sighed.

"Why is it that everyone thinks I'm more stubborn than GoGo?" he groaned.

"Because you are," Honey apologized. "GoGo's a loud, obvious stubborn and you're a quieter kind of stubborn. I don't know that GoGo could have stuck with a project through 83 failures and she definitely wouldn't have done it with a smile on her face," Honey explained. Tadashi just rolled his eyes. "You know you don't have to do this alone, right? We could all help you. I might not know as much about robotics, but I can solder and stuff," Honey added.

"I know," Tadashi said. "It's just…" he trailed off.

"What? What's wrong?" Honey prodded.

"Promise not to laugh," Tadashi asked. Honey nodded. Concern was written on her face and in her warm brown eyes.

"I feel like this is something I need to do on my own. Everything else I need help with now. It's getting better. Especially after GoGo built this chair that fits places. But my mobility is still limited. Baymax has to carry me around the house. I can't drive. I'll have to take special lessons. I can't just go to the gym and let off steam and I hate the way people stare at me like I'm broken. This is the one part of my life that I was told wouldn't change. Since I woke up, I've been dreaming of getting back to work. I need some piece of my old life to hold onto because everything else is gone. I didn't want to leave the café. I didn't want to come here and be stared at, but I wanted to get back to work more. I need to figure this out, for me. It's like I need to prove that I am still able to live my life. I know that sounds nuts, but…" Tadashi trailed off. He was staring at his lap.

"Not everything's gone and changed," Honey insisted. Tadashi shrugged. "Look at me Tadashi Hamada," she ordered. Tadashi looked up and stared at her. "You will always have your friends and family. That will never change. Just like nothing will change the fact that you are a genius and you are going to change the world for the better. If you need to prove yourself to anyone it's to yourself, because I have never doubted you and neither have any of the others. You will figure something out. I just want you to know that if you ever need someone to do the grunt work, I'm willing," Honey said. Tadashi felt himself relaxing. Honey always had that effect on people. She was the calm member of the group, always looking on the bright side. She said that Tadashi was the most stubborn member of Nerd Lab, but Tadashi definitely thought she needed a nomination. There was nothing that could shake her faith in and loyalty to her friends.

"I missed you too, Honey Lemon," Tadashi said with a small smile.

"So has Hiro shown you his big inventions?" Honey grinned.

"Flying is pretty great," Tadashi said. Honey beamed.

"I can't believe his plan actually worked," she cheered.

"Only problem is the neural transmitter put me in bed for two days with a headache that makes migraines seem like head colds," Tadashi said. Honey winced.

"That bad?"

"Yeah. Flying will definitely not be a regular thing for me."

"Did Hiro tell you about his first time flying with Baymax?" Honay asked, an evil little smirk played around her lips and her eyes sparkled.

"No, was it pretty spectacular?" Tadashi questioned.

"You could say that…"

Hiro can back, saw Honey sitting with Tadashi, heard them laughing, and decided to go see what the rest of Nerd Lab was up to.

"You crashed into a statue and through a wall. Geez, your reckless knuckle head," Tadashi greeted Hiro as he walked back into the office. Hiro blushed.

"Who in the world told you that?!" Hiro demanded.

Tadashi just laughed.

Hiro noticed Tadashi's notebook on the counter beside him. "Have you picked a project?" Hiro asked. He was smiling. If Tadashi picked a new project, that meant he was planning to keep coming back to SFIT.

"I'm thinking I might do something more focused in coding," Tadashi tossed the idea out.

"I know you did a lot with Baymax, but like what are you thinking?" Hiro asked.

"I don't know yet," Tadashi admitted. "I need to do more research."

"In that case, you should visit the Comp Sci Lab," Hiro suggested. Tadashi blinked in surprise. "You know the fancy computer lab kind of by the library?" Hiro said.

"Okay…"

"They've always got cool stuff going. On Saturday nights they open the lab for gaming night. They've got all the latest PC Games with sweet mods," Hiro grinned. "I'm sure they'd love to talk about their projects."

"Hmmm… I might have to go visit," Tadashi nodded. "I'm pretty good with the language I used in Baymax's programming, but beyond that I don't know much code."

"In the meantime, want to help me duplicate Baymax's sensor for SR Bot?" Hiro asked.

They spent the rest of the day bent over a large piece of construction paper. Tadashi struggled to recall the exact components and how he'd hooked them together while Hiro tossed out suggestions. Other students left in clumps until only the gang was left.

"The bus is going to come soon," Tadashi muttered, sitting up and stretching. Hiro nodded. He rolled up the paper and looked for a place to stash it. "I'd help you tonight if you don't have a ton of other homework," Tadashi offered.

"Sweet," Hiro grinned. He tucked the paper in his backpack and followed Tadashi out of the office. The rest of the gang were packing up.

"We're heading out," Hiro called.

"Hold on," Honey insisted. "We need to do a group photo to celebrate." Hiro rolled his eyes but didn't protest. The rest of the gang trickled over and gathered around the Hamadas. Tadashi didn't really want to do a photo, but what could he say. He at the camera as his friends squished together around him. Honey beamed when she looked the picture over.

"I'll send it to everyone tonight," Honey smiled. "The one from the showcase got lost when Callahagn chased us off a pier," Honey said. "I hadn't downloaded it yet."

The Hamadas said their goodbyes and headed out. Hiro was in good spirits. The whole way home, he told Tadashi about the new lab students and tried to fill him in on everything he'd missed at SFIT.

"Sounds like you really do like it here," Tadashi remarked.

"I do," Hiro nodded. "I never would have made it without you."

"It was your idea that got you in the door. Besides, I would have gone mad if I couldn't get you doing something productive instead of bot fighting," Tadashi shrugged.

"Yeah, but I never would have tried if you hadn't drug me off to see your nerd lab," Hiro added.

"I'm your big brother. It's my job to keep an eye on you and make sure you don't turn into San Frans most wanted," Tadashi teased.

"It was just a bit of bot fighting," Hiro muttered. "I was hardly going to become SF's most wanted."

"Depends on how many crime bosses you managed to tick off," Tadashi teased. Hiro punched him lightly in the shoulder. Tadashi smiled. He'd been reluctant to leave the house, but he didn't regret it at the end of the day. This was the most alive he'd felt since waking up. Things were still a mess, but he was genuinely happy to be alive which was an improvement over a lot of other days. Tadashi was looking forward to the next day.


	20. Chapter 20

Tadashi rolled out of bed with a groan as Hiro's alarm clock blared. He was surprised to not find his little brother hogging the bed. Tadashi wheeled himself into the main room and sighed. Hiro was sprawled across the desk sound asleep. Tadashi turned off the alarm clock and looked at his little brother. Hiro was out. Tadashi saw the magic markers on the desk by Hiro and grinned evilly. Tadashi bit his tongue to keep from laughing as he lightly sketched a mustache on his little brother. It was just magic marker. I'd wash off in the shower. His work done, Tadashi headed for bathroom. Hiro woke to the sound of running water. He sat up and pulled a paper off his face. THe water shut off and Tadashi emerged from the bathroom. "Throw me a shirt?" Tadashi asked toweling off his hair. Hiro blinked sleepily, but did as he was told. Tadashi caught the black V-neck and did his best to keep from snickering at Hiro's face. "Your turn to hit the shower," Tadashi ordered. Hiro muttered something incomprehensible and headed for the bathroom. Tadashi heard the door close and waited. "One, two, three, and-"

"TADASHI!" Hiro screeched. Tadashi burst out laughing as Hiro came flying out of the bathroom. "You suck!" Hiro yelled. Tadashi ducked the first Pillow, but the second hit him in the face. Then Hiro was coming at him with a third pillow. Tadashi scooped one off the floor and prepared to defend himself. Cass hurried up the stairs, a basket of laundry in one, to find the two boys in an all-out pillow war. Tadashi was getting the worst of it. He had his arms up to ward off Hiro. Both were laughing hysterically.

"Do I even want to know?" Cass asked. The boys froze. Cass saw the hot pink mustache Hiro was sporting and sighed. She put the basket of clothes on the landing and left. "The bus will be here in a half hour," she called over her shoulder.

"I can't go to school like this!" Hiro hissed, shooting Tadashi a death glare. Tadashi clutched his sides with laughter.

"It's just magic marker. Hurry up and shower," Tadashi snickered. Hiro groaned and stomped off to the bathroom.

"Your neural levels are elevated," Baymax commented.

"Pillow fights are fun," Tadashi smiled. "Next time you should join in." The robot nodded.

"Should I add pillow fighting to my care giving matrix?" Baymax asked. "You and Hiro both seem to enjoy it."

"Go ahead and add it," Tadashi said with a shrug. Baymax nodded.

"Can you take me down to the kitchen? Hiro's we're going to be close to missing the bus and I think I owe Hiro for the marker thing, so I'll make breakfast," Tadashi grinned.

"There are frozen waffles in the freezer. Aunt Cass bought the kind with chocolate chips," Baymax offered picking up Tadashi and the wheelchair.

"I like the way you think. We can have waffles and yogurt," Tadashi nodded.

The Hamadas made it to the bus by the skin of their teeth. The bus was pulling up to the stop as they turned the corner at the end of the block. Hiro panicked, grabbed the back of Tadashi's chair, and pushed towards the bus- much to Tadashi's displeasure. The driver was still laughing as the brothers got on. "I was going to wait for you," the driver snorted.

"See there was no reason," Tadashi snapped.

"Fine, consider it payback for the mustache," Hiro fired back.

"It was just magic marker," Tadashi said throwing his hands up.

"Next time, I'll leave you," Hiro rolled his eyes. "I'll wave as the bus drives passed and you're still going up the hill."

The two got settled and the bus started off. Hiro finally broke the silence. "Sorry. I know you don't like being pushed, but I was worried we were going to miss it and not all the busses are wheelchair friendly," Hiro apologized.

"It's not a big deal. Just give me some heads up next time. You almost gave me a heart attack," Tadashi shrugged.

"I got the mustache off all the way, right?" Hiro asked turning to Tadashi and stretching his face. Tadashi smiled.

"Yeah, it's all gone, but you better be careful or your face will stick like that," Tadashi teased.

"Dude, I am not five," Hiro snickered.

"Sometimes," Tadashi corrected.

When the bus pulled up at SFIT, Hiro had to run for class. Tadashi still needed to officially re-enroll in classes. He and Aunt Cass were still working through all the legal pieces of Tadashi's return from the dead. He had an appointment with the dean in a couple hours. Tadashi thought about heading to the lab, but decided to take a look around campus instead. It had been a long time since he just explored and there was always something new and different to see on campus. Tadashi headed towards the art buildings. Today the sidewalk was covered in chalk art, not the fancy there is a hole in the sidewalk that leads to another dimension kind but the we turned a bunch of stressed art majors loose with a big bucket of chalk sort of art. Chibis and kittens and poetry scrawled and every kind of doodle imaginable swirled across the walkway. Tadashi smiled down at the work. His freshman year he'd had a history class with an art major. The sidewalk reminded him of the guy's notebook. Tadashi just wandered around campus for an hour. He stopped at the library café and bought a cup of coffee. He looked at the different flowers that were blooming and the wind turbines that had been repainted. His aimless trek eventually left Tadashi sitting near the exhibition hall. The building had been totally rebuilt. The stairs were some of the only original structure left. Tadashi turned away from the building and the memories it carried. He still dreamt of fire. A plaque off to the side of the stairs caught Tadashi's eye and he made his way over. In a little alcove, nestled beneath cherry trees was the Tadashi Hamada Memorial. Looking at that plaque with his name and story on it made Tadashi uncomfortable, but also a bit proud. All he'd ever wanted was to change the world for the better and here was proof that he was on the right track. He'd inspired someone and that right there was a big deal. A concrete bench sat beside the plaque and a small shelf beside it. Someone had left flowers and a candle on the shelf. Tadashi relaxed. The memorial was out of the way. The traffic felt distant. It was a peaceful place tucked away in the heart of a bustling campus.

"Hiro spent a lot of time here," Tadashi turned around in surprise to see Honey clutching her bag. She smiled hesitantly. "I hope I'm not interrupting," she added.

"Not at all. I'm just killing time until I have to go meet with the dean," Tadashi shrugged. "You're here early," he said it like a question.

"I have a reaction I want to get started. If I do it now, it will be finished at a reasonable hour tonight," Honey explained. "Want to come with?"

"You know it," Tadashi smiled. He followed Honey back towards the lab building. "What do you mean Hiro spent a lot of time at the memorial?" Tadashi asked as they went.

"He'd sneak out at night and come visit," Honey shrugged. "He always said he felt closer to you here than at the cemetery," she explained.

"During the middle of the night?" Tadashi clarified.

"The first time he did it, Cass called all of us. She was frantic because he didn't take Baymax with him. We looked everywhere for him," Honey said. Tadashi frowned.

"Did he just turn up at home the next day?" Tadashi's brow was wrinkled with worry.

"No. He fell asleep on the bench. I found him here the next morning," Honey said. "I told everyone I found him in the lab, because he thought they'd worry more if I told them where he really was. He never visited during the day though, said there were too many people around." Tadashi sighed. Honey saw the worry on his face. "He was getting better, and having you back has done a lot of good," Honey soothed.

"I know I just feel like a terrible brother for putting him through all this," Tadashi shrugged.

"Don't beat yourself up over it. He gets it. He's just like you," Honey told her friend.

"We are not that alike," he protested.

"Yes you are. Hiro just likes to act cocky when he's nervous instead," Honey smiled.

The two headed into the lab, bantering back and forth like nothing had changed between them. Honey shared her struggles with trying to formulate a chemical that would counter brittleness in metals. She'd had some success increasing compression strength through a couple treatments, but tensile strength was another story. Tadashi told her about wanting to do a project that focused more heavily on coding. Her advice mirrored Hiro's- go visit the Comp Sci lab. Tadashi nodded and followed her into the lab. The place was mostly empty although a few early risers were there tinkering. Tadashi watched Honey work. She liked the company and started explaining each of the steps to Tadashi. Music played softly in the background. Most of her explanations went over Tadashi's head, but it was nice to see Honey happy and excited. He always loved the look on her face when she was going mad-scientist in the lab- the evil little smile, the gleam in her eyes, and the way she giggled with excitement at all the little explosions.


	21. Chapter 21

Tadashi waited outside the dean's office doing his best not to be nervous. He'd never visited the dean before. The door opened and Mr. Russel, dean of engineering waved him in. Tadashi mentally thanked GoGo for the millionth time. The door was a tight fit even in the chair she'd built. Mr. Russel was an older man. He smiled kindly at Tadashi from behind thick glasses. His gray hair was neatly combed and no one had ever seen him in anything but a suit and tie.

"Good morning, Mr. Hamada. How are you doing?" He asked. Tadashi pushed the door closed behind himself and smiled at Mr. Russel.

"I'm doing pretty good, but I'll be better when I'm back to class," Tadashi replied. Mr. Russels snorted.

"You really are a go getter aren't you?" He smiled. Tadashi shrugged. "Well then Mr. Hamada, I have been talking with the president and the school lawyer to see what we have to do. If I had my way you'd just start attending classes, but of course there is paperwork," Mr. Russel said, getting down to business. Tadashi nodded. "I have reenrolled you in the classes you were scheduled to take before the fire. In addition, the school requires students who suffer a trauma and take more than four months off to attend a few counseling sessions. Does all that sound alright to you?" Mr. Russel asked.

"I actually have a couple schedule changes I'd like to make," Tadashi said. "I'd like to switch one of my electives from heavy machining to one of the computer science coding classes, if that's possible."

"I'm sure we can make that work," Mr. Russel nodded. He had been hoping Tadashi would be the one to bring up the heavy machining class. It was not exactly wheelchair friendly. "Do you have a counselor you'd like to sign off on your required sessions or should I make arrangements with one of the school counselors?" Mr. Russel asked.

"How much do the school counselors cost?" Tadashi asked hesitantly.

"A school counselor will not cost you anything," Mr. Russel replied.

"Then that's what I'd prefer," Tadashi said.

"Alright, I will have your schedule changed and contact one of the school counselors. I'll have everything emailed to you by tomorrow morning," Mr. Russel smiled. Tadashi nodded. "All that's left is for you to sign a couple forms, just standard stuff stating that you are in fact Tadashi Hamada and you are not dead," Mr. Russsl slid a few forms across the desk to Tadashi and laid a pen beside them. Tadashi scanned the forms and signed them. He frowned at his signature. It was sloppy, shaky, like a child's. Mr. Russel didn't seem to notice. Tadashi slid the forms back across the desk to Mr. Russel and turned to go when Mr. Russel stopped him. "Mr. Hamada, for what it's worth I'm sorry about what happened to you. If you ever need any help or have problems, my office is open," He said. Tadashi looked at the dean in surprise. "I hired Callahagn. I put him in charge of the showcase. I knew he and Krei had history, but I ignored it. I can't help but feel responsible for the tragedy," Mr. Russel explained. The genuine guilt on Mr. Russel's face surprised Tadashi.

"Thanks, but I don't blame you," Tadashi shrugged. "I'm adjusting things just look a bit different now."

"You are without a doubt the most optimistic person I have ever had the fortune of encountering," Mr. Russel smiled sadly. "My offer stands. I look forward to seeing what you do during the rest of your time at SFIT and afterwards. Baymax is by far my favorite creation." Tadashi blushed slightly at the praise.

"I guess that means I have to work really hard to live up to everyone's expectations," Tadashi laughed, running his fingers through his hair.

"You've already surpassed expectations by coming back here," Mr. Russel said shaking his head.

"SFIT's my second home," Tadashi shrugged. At that Mr. Russel beamed.

"I do believe your brother will be getting out of class soon. If you hurry you can meet him," Mr. Russel offered. Tadashi nodded and left the office behind.

"Hiro!" Tadashi yelled, seeing a familiar figure fighting his way through the crowd. Hiro turned at the sound of his name and say Tadashi leaving the main offices. Hiro shoved his way out of the crowd to meet his brother. "Want to go get lunch?" Tadashi asked when Hiro reached him.

"Sure," Hiro shrugged.

"How about that little Japanese place on the corner?" Tadashi suggested.

"Okay," Hiro nodded.

"So how was class?" Tadashi asked as the headed for the edge of campus.

"Pretty good," Hiro smiled. "Too long, but it's interesting enough to make up for it." Tadashi nodded and listened to Hiro.

The restaurant was empty when the Hamadas ducked in. Hiro took a deep breath and his mouth filled with saliva. It had been moths since he'd eaten here. They had the best teriyaki- although if Aunt Cass asked it was the SECOND best teriyaki. It was one of Tadashi's favorite restaurants. Tadashi always said it reminded him of their parents. The boys were seated. Tadashi looked over the menu, but Hiro didn't even pick his up. "I know what I'm having," he said when Tadashi asked. "I haven't been here since before the fire," Hiro commented after the waiter took their orders. Tadashi frowned at that.

"Why?" Tadashi asked. The waitress brought them drinks- tea for Tadashi and Mountain Dew for Hiro. Hiro sipped his drink and took a minute to answer.

"I guess it hurt too much to come without you. It felt like accepting that you were really gone for good and I just wasn't ready to do that," Hiro said. He stared into the soda rather than at Tadashi.

"And what's this I hear about you sneaking out at night and coming to campus?" Tadashi asked.

"I wanted to visit the memorial and there were too many people around during the day," Hiro shrugged. "It's better than sneaking out to go bot fighting, right?" Hiro smiled slightly.

"You knucklehead," Tadashi sighed.

"So did your classes work out?" Hiro asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah. I'm switching into some programming classes," Tadashi nodded. "I should get my new schedule tomorrow morning and start the day after." Hiro smiled. When their food came Hiro shoveled it in and Tadashi shook his head in wonder as his little brother decimated a giant plate of teriyaki chicken.

After lunch, the boys headed back towards the lab. Hiro skipped around, walked on the edging of the flowerbeds, and talked 99 miles an hour about his search and rescue drone. He'd had an idea to improve on the scanner that Tadashi was helping him draft. Tadashi smiled. Hiro'd come a long way from the kid who got them arrested for bot fighting. Mid thought, Hiro stopped and turned to stare at Tadashi. "What are you going to work on? Picked anything yet?" Hiro asked. Tadashi blinked in surprise at the sudden change.

"I'm still thinking about it," Tadashi admitted.

"Why don't you help me with my project? We could work together and have a finished prototype in time for the next showcase," Hiro suggest.

"Stuck already?" Tadashi teased.

"No, I just…" Hiro scuffed his toe on the sidewalk.

"Spit it out Hiro," Tadashi ordered.

"You didn't fix the solder in Maddie's arm because you couldn't," Hiro sighed. "And I've been watching you. Your hands shake," Hiro hated the look on Tadashi's face. Tadashi felt his stomach drop. It was one thing to tell himself that some other part of him was broken, but hearing it from someone else was worse.

"Yeah, nerve damage I think. I won't know how bad for sure until after my doctor's appointment tomorrow," Tadashi shrugged. "Don't worry about me, okay? This is just another problem I've got to figure out a way around," Tadashi added.

"Find a new angle?" Hiro suggested.

"You know it," Tadashi smiled. Hiro started walking again. Tadashi followed him. They were approaching the lab when Tadashi broke the silence. "Thanks knucklehead."

"For what?" Hiro asked.

"For not giving up on me and for always being there," Tadashi smiled. Hiro smiled back. It was an odd reversal of roles, but it didn't feel wrong. "Let's go see if we can get the scanner blueprints finished up," Tadashi said jerking his head towards the building.

Four hours later, the rest of the gang was dragging the Hamada brothers out of their office for some mandatory break time. "You are not turning into a pair of hermits," GoGo ordered. "They've got a band playing in the Student Union Building and we're going." Hiro held his hands up in surrender and Tadashi just laughed. The band was good- a bit too heavy metal for Tadashi and Wasabi's taste. GoGo, Fred, and Hiro seemed to really enjoy it. Honey nodded along, but Tadashi knew it wasn't exactly her style either. Dusk was descending as the gang headed back towards the lab. GoGo split off halfway back. "I've got to go get some sleep," she apologized. "I've got a test tomorrow. Don't spend the whole night in the lab."

"I need to head out pretty too," Wasabi sighed. The other three waved them off and Tadashi shared a glance knowing glance with Honey. Hiro lagged behind Tadashi and Honey the rest of the way back to the lab. The caffeine and sugar from the Mountain Dew was wearing off.

"Are you doing alright getting around the lab?" Honey asked Tadashi.

"For the most part. Honestly the only problem I've had is with some of the machines being pushed to the back of the counters. They're kind of hard to reach. I guess I know how Hiro and GoGo feel now," Tadashi joked. "It's silly that you can't send jobs to the machines through an app or something," Tadashi sighed.

"I'm pretty sure they're all Bluetooth enabled," Honey frowned.

"Maybe you should write a program," Hiro interrupted.

"What a super hacking app? One that lets you wirelessly controls any technology within range?" Tadashi rolled his eyes.

"But think about it!" Hiro insisted, suddenly excited. "It'd be easy enough to hack stuff through Bluetooth. It could make things so much more user friendly and not just lab equipment. If you made it more universal it could be a TV or bot remote control. You could sink a security system to it or use it to program a Christmas Light show or even drive a car or something," Hiro beamed.

"Most of that stuff is already 'smart,'" Tadashi said.

"Then it should be that much easier to come up with a universal control," Hiro responded.

"I'll think about it," Tadashi shrugged. Hiro beamed. Back in the lab, Tadashi messed with the scanner blueprints while Hiro tinkered with the bot's body and Honey took notes on the reaction she'd come in early that morning to set up. Tadashi sent Hiro on a caffeine run.

"What do you think about a hacking app?" Tadashi asked Honey.

"It sounds interesting. I'm not sure if it's even doable though," Honey said.

"I've been thinking about it. I'm not sure what I want to do for my project, but at least this would give me something to work on. I need to learn some more about straight program writing and coding and hacking, but with so many 'smart' devices it makes sense that a universal control could be developed," Tadashi mused. "I'd have a lot to learn though."

"You essentially became an honorary BioMed student while working on Baymax, so I'm sure you can manage it," Honey said. Tadashi nodded, still thinking.

Honey and the Hamadas worked until s6PM and then the boys ran for the bus. Honey walked back to her apartment just off campus. Back at the Lucky Cat. Tadashi relayed what the Mr. Russel had said to Cass and Hiro over the dinner table. Hiro got a kick out of Tadashi having to go see a shrink. "It's not like that," Tadashi rolled his eyes.

"I'm going to crack up when you get back and he had you laying on one of those couch things looking at ink blots. I dare you to say they all look like bacon," Hiro giggled. That made Cass snort and Tadashi roll his eyes. After the dinner mess was cleared up, the boys sat at the table and worked through Hiro's homework. He didn't really need the help tonight, but appreciated the company and Tadashi appreciated the refresher course. Around ten Cass stuck her head into the kitchen ordered them to bed.

"You going to actualy come to bed tonight?" Tadashi teased Hiro on the way up the stairs.

"If only to keep from waking up with a mustache," Hiro fired back. Hiro packed his backpack while Tadashi got ready for bed, and Tadashi got in bed while Hiro finished up in the bathroom. Tadashi was starting to doze off when Hiro shut off the last of the upstairs lights. Hiro hesitated.

"You can sleep with me if you want, but you don't have to," Tadashi muttered sleepily. Hiro flopped on the bed beside Tadashi.

"I like not having nightmares," Hiro admitted as he squirmed closer to Tadashi.

"Night," Tadashi sighed.

On the other side of the city, a woman backed up against a wall and hoped the men who chased her would pass the alley by. She'd turned too early and was trapped in a dead end. They were too clos e now for her to dart back out. The three men took their time walking down the alley. The woman pressed herself further into the shadows. "We see you," one of them snickered. The woman felt sick. She clenched her fists, resolved to go down fighting.

"Hey! Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbest!" the voice while mechanical, had a distinctly feminine tone to it. The men glanced over their shoulders. The mouth of the alley was blocked by figure in yellow armor.

"Bot fight's off 15th, why don't you scram?" one of the men hissed.

"Why don't you walk away and leave the lady alone?" the yellow figure hissed back.

"You want to play with us too?" the same man asked looking the yellow figure up and down. That was a big mistake. In the morning, the headlines would read "Big Hero 6's Blur Saves Woman" and "Muggers in Hospital after Confrontation with Local Hero."


	22. Chapter 22

GoGo slumped over her desk, sound asleep. The freshman tiptoed around her work area and the lab was uncharacteristically quiet. Tadashi laughed out loud when he asked why everyone was so quiet and Ethan pointed to the sleeping GoGo.

"She's really not as scary as she likes to act," Tadashi snickered. He received several doubtful looks. "Watch and learn," Tadashi ordered. He made his way to the coffee machine and poured half a couple. "Contrary to popular belief, GoGo does not drink black coffee," Tadashi instructed. Next he filled the cup the rest of the way with Vanilla Creamer and three sugar packets. He handed the cup to Ethan and jerked his head for Ethan to follow him. Tadashi pushed himself over to the sleeping GoGo and accepted the mug from Ethan. Tadashi set the mug on the counter, out of GoGo's reach, and turned to the watching freshmen. "Now if I were you, I'd leave the mug on the counter and gently call her name, but really where is the fun in that?" Tadashi grinned evilly. "Do not attempt this one at home kids." Tadashi poked GoGo in the ribs. She sat bolt upright and swung before her eyes were even open. Tadashi ducked and burst out laughing.

"I'm going to kill you Hamada!" GoGo screeched.

"Watch the coffee," Tadashi snorted rolling out of her reach. GoGo grabbed the mug, took a big gulp, and glowered at Tadashi over the rim. Tadashi couldn't stop laughing. GoGo chugged the coffee and shoved the empty mug towards Tadashi.

"More caffeine and I might not beat you black and blue Hamada," GoGo growled. Tadashi chuckled and handed the mug off to Ethan who ran for the coffee machine.

"Late night?" Tadashi asked when the others were out of earshot.

"Yeah. I saw some guys harassing a lady on the way home and I may or may not have taken the time to kick their butts," GoGo shrugged.

"That sort of thing happen often?" Tadashi frowned.

"If you mean harassment then yes," GoGo replied. Tadashi rolled his eyes.

"I was referring to 'Big Hero 6's Blur Saves Woman,'" Tadashi said, quoting the morning paper.

"We are heroes," GoGo shrugged.

"The Blur?" Tadashi raised an eyebrow.

"Hiro's underage and the last thing any of us need are child engagement charges. The helmet's change your voice, all of our communication happens through internal coms, and the visors are one way. Any names we've got were given by the public. Personally I kind of like Blur," GoGo shrugged. Tadashi nodded he'd been wondering how much the public knew about Big Hero 6. Ethan came over with the coffee. GoGo looked him up and down. "Sorry for yelling and thanks for the coffee. Life's been a little crazy recently," GoGo apologized. "Don't let the idiot over there push you around," GoGo jerked her head towards Tadashi with a smirk.

"Hey!" Tadashi protested. GoGo laughed and sipped the coffee. Ethan snickered and went back to work on his project. With GoGo awake, the volume level in the lab rose rapidly. GoGo's cellphone started ringing and she dug it out of her bag with a sigh.

"There's a bank robbery on 14th street," GoGo said hanging up. She locked eyes with Tadashi and smirked. "You coming?"

"What?" Tadashi frowned.

"Honey, Wasabi, and Hiro are in class. Fred's on his way to there. I'm going to go change and Baymax is coming with me. You in or out?" GoGo asked.

"I can't. I…" Tadashi looked down.

"You'll be in the suit for less than an hour," GoGo prodded.

"I don't have it with me, anyway," Tadashi muttered.

"Actually, it's in the office under Hiro's desk," GoGo corrected. "Does that mean you're in?" Tadashi swallowed hard and nodded. His heart was racing. His body remembered the days of agony that came with using the suit, but how could he let GoGo and Fred go without him. "Meet me outside in five," GoGo ordered. She jumped off the stool, grabbed her backpack and ducked out of the lab. Tadashi made his way back to the office and shut the door. Baymax looked up in surprise.

"Looks like we need to suit up," Tadashi told the robot.

"Do you require assistance?" Baymax asked.

"Probably," Tadashi admitted. Baymax retrieved two red boxes from under Hiro's desk. They resembled Baymax when he was inactive in his box. THa larger one Baymax set on the counter. THe smaller he offered to Tadashi.

"You must activate it," Baymax explained. Tadashi frowned. He didn't know how. He reached for the box, but the instant he touched it a red light began to flash. Tadashi drew his hand back and watched in awe as the red cube unfolded to reveal Tadashi's suit all neatly packed. Tadashi swallowed hard and touched it with shaking fingers.

"You're heart rate is elevated. Are you stressed?" Baymax asked.

"More like scared witless," Tadashi muttered. "Let's do this."

Baymax had to help Tadashi put the suit on. While Baymax put his own armor, Tadashi practiced walking. Now that he was looking for it, he could feel the pressure behind his temples from the transmitter. With Baymax ready, Tadashi opened the big window and climbed out. Apparently Baymax had done this before because the robot didn't hesitate to follow Tadashi despite the tight fit. Typically Baymax took a second to evaluate openings if the size was questionable. Tadashi shrugged and slipped around the side of the bushes. GoGo was waiting for them in her yellow armor. She nodded to Tadashi and took off.

"Wow," Tadashi breathed. He knew GoGo was fast, just not that fast. "My brother's a genius," Tadashi smiled. He reached behind his back and his wings sprung into position. Baymax mirrored Tadashi. Tadashi swallowed and focused on the thrusters. Takeoff was awkward. Tadashi nearly hit a tree before getting above the campus. Baymax followed close behind. Below, students froze and pointed. Tadashi did his best to ignore them. He had to focus on flying and following GoGo. It took him a solid two minutes to readjust to flight. GoGo wove through traffic, little more than a yellow blur as she practically flew down San Fransokyo's hills. Tadashi rolled through the air and dove after her. Cruising just above the traffic, Tadashi followed the yellow blur. His heart raced. The speed and the freedom were intoxicating. Tadashi couldn't help the laughter that bubbled p from his chest.

"Focus flyboy. You can do all the corkscrews you want later," GoGo said through the helmet com. The order was undermined by the snicker that accompanied it.

"You can't tell me you don't love it," Tadashi replied. GoGo just laughed and skidded around a corner. After dodging a trolley and rounding the corner, Tadashi could see the police line surrounding the bank. He wasn't totally sure what he expected GoGo to do, but breezing between cop cars and skidding to a stop next to the police chief was not it. Tadashi hesitated, but landed in the open space beside her. It was not a pretty landing. Tadashi was so focused on landing, the gradual lessening of the thrusters and adjusting the angle, that he forgot about standing. The thrusters switched off and Tadashi crumpled to the ground. GoGo stared at him for a heartbeat before offering him a hand. Tadashi brushed the hand away and struggled to his feet. Walking with the suit was far harder than flying. It was counterintuitive rather than instinctive and his practice was limited to say the least. The police chief frowned at the two costumed heroes. Overhead the large flying one circled the bank.

"He's holed up in there with a bank full of hostages," the chief said. "We're trying to negotiate, but he refuses to talk to us." The chief wasn't a fan of San Fran's new heroes' vigilante tendencies, but in situations like this they tended to earn their keep.

"Kaiju will be here any second," GoGo told the officer. Through the helmet, her voice sounded synthesized- feminine, but cold and robotic. It sent shivers down Tadashi's spine. "The big guy and Kaiju will go in through the skylights. I'll take the front door," GoGo said. The chief nodded and looked at Tadashi.

"What about the new guy?" he asked.

"He'll cover me," GoGo said, glancing at Tadashi. Tadashi nodded his approval. It was as good of a plan as he could think of.

"What's the plan?" Fred's voice jumped through the coms. GoGo pressed the button on the side of her helmet, switching off the speaker, and repeated the plan for Fred. "Sweet. I'm coming in hot," Fred announced. Tadashi looked up to see a blue blur leaping from roof to roof.

"Baymax, follow Fred," GoGo ordered. "Try and keep up," she said to Tadashi. He could hear the note of excitement in her voice.

"SUPER JUMP!" Fred roared. He was plummeting towards the skylights on the bank's roof. Baymax dove after Fred. GoGo was off in an instant. Rather than chase her, Tadashi activated his thrusters and skimmed along feet above the ground. Fred and Baymax crashed through the ceiling. GoGo burst through the door and Tadashi staggered after her. The transition from flight to walking was smoother this time, but that was about all that went right. Tadashi looked around the room and knew instantly that they'd miscalculated. GoGo was skating circles around a man with a gun. Instead of shooting at Baymax and Fred like GoGo had expected, the robber had grabbed a woman and pressed the gun to her temple. Had GoGo gone straight for him, maybe she'd have been able to take the man by surprise, but she'd hesitated and as fast as she was, a bullet was faster. Now GoGo was stuck circling the man.

"Keep away or she dies!" the robber shouted. The woman was sobbing and Tadashi felt his heart sink. There were a lot of other people in the bank. He hit the button to turn on the speaker and approached the first clump of people huddled against the wall.

"The door is open and he's distracted. Get out," Tadashi ordered. The people just stared at him, frozen with fear. Tadashi grabbed a man by the shoulders and shoved him towards the door. "GO!" Tadashi snarled. That broke the spell. The group streamed towards the front door and others were quick to follow.

Tadashi ushered the bystanders out of the building while GoGo and Fred distracted the robber. With GoGo a yellow blur, steadily creeping closer and Fred, with his terrifying visage, leaping back and forth around the room, the robber was clutching the gun tighter and tighter. Spurts of flame filled the air. Tadashi shuddered as the flames crackled. The robber's head turned from side to side, trying to track the two while watching Baymax who was hovering overhead. The robber pressed the gun harder against the woman's head. She whimpered and that was it. Tadashi stepped in front of GoGo, closer to the robber. GoGo slid to a stop. Fred hesitated.

"Tadashi?" GoGo started.

"It's over," Tadashi snarled. The robber took a step back. "Whatever happens now, you're going to prison. The question is do you want to add a murder charge to the list?" Tadashi challenged. He took another step towards the man. Behind Tadashi, police were streaming into the bank. Tadashi could hear the thump of their boots on the marble floor. He ignored them. The robber stared at Tadashi. Under the ski mask, Tadashi could see he had blue eyes. He was close enough to see the man's shoulders slump ever so slightly. Then his eyes flicked to Tadashi's left. GoGo launched herself at the man. He turned the gun towards the yellow blur and fired. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. GoGo stumbled and slid towards the robber on her hands and knees. That first shot seemed to break something in the robber. He opened fire and pressed the woman tighter against his chest. Tadashi's wings sprung open unbidden. Bullets pinged against the metal. Tadashi walked towards the man. Behind Tadashi the police raised their weapons and Fred sprang to GoGo's side. "Drop it," Tadashi ordered. He could hear his voice altered by the helmet. It was cold, low, and deadly- laced with unspoken threats. The robber released the woman, grabbed the gun with two hands, and fired shot after shot at Tadashi. They pinged against the armor and Tadashi walked on, implacable. The other man was in full retreat now. The empty gun clicked as he pulled the trigger over and over again. His back hit the counter and the gun fell from his shaking hands. Tadashi kicked the gun away and slammed a fist into the robber's stomach. The man doubled over gasping for air and Tadashi swept his legs out from under him. The man fell to the ground his mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. Tadashi walked away. Fred was crouched over GoGo who was threatening to punch him if he didn't give her space.

"It didn't get all the way through the armor. I'm fine," GoGo hissed. Her voice was too high, tight with pain.

Tadashi turned the speaker off his helmet and turned to Baymax. "Take GoGo back to the garage and start patching her up. Fred and I'll follow," Tadashi ordered. He was shaking. Baymax nodded and scooped GoGo up before she had a chance to protest. They were out the roof in an instant. Fred stared after them. "We don't need to stick around," Tadashi said. Fred nodded and jumped back out the hole he and Baymax had created with their entrance. Tadashi activated his thrusters and followed Fred.

Tadashi flew fast. There was no joy or excitement in it this time. It was just the fastest way to get from point A to point B. Tadashi stumbled into the garage of the Lucky Cat before the thrusters were totally off. GoGo was sitting on the couch, out of her armor, with an icepack pressed to her forehead. She had her shirt off while Baymax tended a bruise blossoming over her right hip. Tadashi ducked his head in embarrassment. "I'm okay," GoGo insisted. "The bullet didn't get through my skin. It bent the lighter armor and Baymax says I have a couple bruised ribs. I hit my head and jarred my wrist when I fell." GoGo repeated what Baymax had told her. Tadashi pulled the helmet off and clenched his fists. "Relax. I've had bike crashes that were a lot worse than this," GoGo snapped. "If you're going to mother hen this bad on missions, I'm leaving you home next time," GoGo teased. Tadashi just sighed.

"Sorry I freaked out," Tadashi apologized. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "I saw you fall and Fred was lightly things on fire and…"

GoGo's face softened. "Hiro's designs are really good. After losing you, he made sure that the suits will protect us from most anything. Besides we can take care of ourselves. The plan was to get shot at. When they're shooting at us they aren't shooting civilians," GoGo said.

"Does the fire bother you that much?" Fred's voice came hesitantly from the door.

"I'll get used to it," Tadashi shrugged. "I'll get used to all of it." He rubbed his temples beneath the transmitter. He could feel the headache building.

"Get back to school and out of the suit," GoGo ordered. "Someone needs to let the others know we're all okay," she added, seeing the hesitation on Tadashi's face. Tadashi nodded, pulled on the helmet and ducked out the door.


	23. Chapter 23

Tadashi struggled to get the armor off on his own. He ended up keeping the pants on until Hiro arrived in the lab after class. At least with the transmitter off, the pressure in Tadashi's head eased. The problem was as the pressure faded a fierce headache replaced it. Tadashi took ibuprofen and tried to relax. Hiro ran into the lab, dodging projects and fellow students. He ducked into the office and shut the door. Tadashi winced at the noise. "Is everyone okay?" Hiro demanded. He was out of breath.

"GoGo's a little banged up, but we're all fine," Tadashi assured him. Hiro sighed with relief and pulled out his cell phone.

"I'll text Honey and Wasabi," Hiro said. "You don't have their new numbers do you?" Hiro frowned.

"I didn't know they had new numbers," Tadashi replied. He'd been texting the only numbers he had for them since he arrived back at the Institute.

"We all had to get new phones after Callahagn chased us into the bay," Hiro shrugged, typing away. The messages sent with a soft whoosh.

"I don't think I've heard that before," Tadashi frowned.

"In hindsight it was pretty funny," Hiro grinned. His phone chimed. "Wasabi says he's sorry he missed and glad everyone is okay," Hiro answered Tadashi's unasked question. "Honey's probably working in the chem lab," Hiro added. Tadashi nodded. Hiro flopped in the chair beside his brother. "How did the suit do? Tell me everything," Hiro demanded.

"Suit was great. Very bullet proof. More so than GoGo's," Tadashi said. A look of panic flashed across Hiro's face.

"Did she-"Tadashi cut Hiro off.

"The plate over her hip buckled after getting shot. She's going to have a killer bruise and then she's got a sore wrist and possibly a minor concussion from crashing after she got hit," Tadashi explained.

"I had to make her suit thinner so it would be light and flexible enough. I wasn't exactly planning for them to all be bullet proof," Hiro groaned. "Your suit held up?" Hiro asked sharply. "How many times were you shot and where?"

"You can count all the places where the paint is scrapped," Tadashi snorted. "I'm fine."

"You and Fred have the most bullet resistant armor," Hiro said. He was digging the armor out from under the desk to look it over.

"While you're at it, I could use some help getting the pants off," Tadashi said. He hated having to ask for help.

"Did I not show you the quick release?" Hiro asked looking up from where he sat on the floor laying out the armor.

"No?"

"Side of the left thigh, by your hip, is a bio scanner. Press and hold and it will turn off the magnets that hold the pieces together," Hiro said. Tadashi felt for the scanner, like a finger print reader. He'd noticed it, but not given it any thought. Tadashi pressed his finger to the sensor and waited. The armor came apart with a soft hiss and clattered to the floor.

"Cool," Tadashi said. Hiro laughed and grabbed the lower part of the suit from the floor.

"It looks like everything held up like it was supposed to. There aren't even any dents," Hiro smiled at the suit.

"You did a really good job with everyone's suits," Tadashi remarked.

"Thanks. The hardest part was definitely incorporating their skills," Hiro replied. He rocked back on his heels and smiled at the praise.

"So who's was the hardest?" Tadashi asked.

"Fred," Hiro said without hesitation. He reached for Tadashi's armor and began packing it away. It had to be turned just right to fit in the case.

"Why?" Tadashi frowned. To him, Fred's suit appeared to be the easiest. Fred or GoGo's.

Hiro slid his hands over Tadashi's armor, fingering the places where bullets had chipped the paint. "Fred really wanted to breathe fire and since he doesn't have smoothing like lasers to incorporate into his suit, I felt like I had to at least try to make the fire thing work," Hiro explained. "It was really hard. There were some accidents during the design phase. No one was hurt, but…" Hiro trailed off. "I may or may not have had a break down after Fred lit the garage on fire," he said after a few seconds. Tadashi swallowed. He hadn't thought about what it would be like for Hiro to work with so much fire so close after… "The flame thrower and jumping parts weren't so hard to build, but I spent a lot of time putting in safety features in case the fire ever got out of hand. Fred could probably survive just about anything in that suit," Hiro said. Tadashi nodded. Hiro put the last of the armor away and closed the case. It sealed shut. Hiro stood up and dusted off his knees.

"Can you guess what I made your suit to specialize in?" Hiro asked with a sly smile.

"Walking?" Tadashi asked. Hiro snorted.

"Protecting people. It's as tough as Fred's with all kinds of crazy safety features. It makes you almost as strong as Baymax and with the wings, there's nowhere you can't reach. I figured I can't keep you from running into danger, but I can make sure you come back out," Hiro told a stunned Tadashi.

"And yet, it would allow me to crash headfirst into a building," Tadashi teased.

"Pfft. There are fail safes," Hiro rolled his eyes. "You going to help me finish up this scanner or what?" Hiro asked.

"Sure. Tomorrow I start my own classes," Tadashi nodded. "I should be getting an email with my schedule anytime."

GoGo and Fred showed up with lunch for the gang. "Heathcliff says 'Hi,'" Fred grinned setting down bags plastic bags of food. "We've got sandwiches, chips, and cookies," Fred said. Hiro punched the air and reached for the food. Everyone laughed. "Anyone want to come over for video games after class tonight?" asked while the gang divided up food.

Videogames at Fred's house was an adventure. The game room rivaled most movie theaters. The gang sprawled on couches in from of massive TV. Heathcliff brought snacks and on Fred's orders even joined a few rounds of Mario Kart. It seemed like Fred owned every game for every game system and they played them all. GoGo liked Halo. Wasabi and Honey liked Mario Party, minigame style games. Hiro was up for pretty much anything. Tadashi and Fred preferred racing games. It got pretty intense at times. For his part, Baymax sat on the couch beside Hiro. Occasionally, the robot would ask Hiro about some part of the game. He wasn't a big fan of the more violent games.

"Final lap," Wasabi announced. It was down to Fred and Tadashi. The others had crashed and been eliminated. Hiro was still grumbling about Tadashi clipping him. Fred grunted in response, but didn't look up from the screen. Tadashi had the lead and there was a left turn and a right turn left in the course. Fred shifted looking for an opening. Tadashi was laser focused. GoGo was sprawled on a loveseat shoveling in popcorn. Honey was doing her best not to laugh at the Tadashi and Fred. Tadashi's face was impassive, but he had the controller in a death grip. His knuckles were white. Fred was shifting from side, anxious and getting frustrated at his inability to slip by Tadashi. "And here's the final turn," Wasabi grinned. In desperation, Fred tried to force himself between Tadashi's car and the wall. He spun out and Tadashi breezed past the finish line. The game cut to a victory lap video sequence. Fred groaned and flopped back into the couch.

Tadashi smiled at him. "What are we at now?" Tadashi asked.

"Score board is behind Wasabi," Fred sighed. "Would you add a tally under the T?" Fred asked Wasabi.

"Huh?" Wasabi turned to see a whiteboard hanging on the wall. It was divided in half and covered in tally marks. He'd noticed it the last couple times he'd been at Fred's but never thought to ask about it. One half of the board had a T and the top and an F on the top of the other. Both sides were filled with tally marks. A whiteboard marker hung on a string beside the board. It was surprisingly low-tech amid the state of the art theater. Wasabi grabbed the marker and added a tally to the T side. So Tadashi had been here before Wasabi realized. He'd been wondering about that. Heathcliff brought pizza and GoGo swapped the racing game for a first person team shooter game. They had to restart almost immediately because Hiro shot them all at the spawn point and then ran head first into the enemy.

"I had to get payback for knocking me out of the race," Hiro shrugged. GoGo pushed him off the couch. Next was Super Mario Brothers. When someone died they handed the controller off to another person. Hiro was unstoppable. He breezed through the levels while the others rotated in and out. Halfway through, Hiro hesitated before a suspiciously innocent stretch of screen. "I don't remember what happens here," Hiro muttered. About that time, Red Toad played by Tadashi cleared the previous obstacle to stand beside Hiro's Mario. Hiro darted a glance at his older brother and smiled evilly.

"What the-?" Tadashi frowned as Hiro's character picked his up. Hiro launched Tadashi into the middle of the screen. The ground and roof crashed together and Red Toad disappeared.

"I remember this part now," Hiro grinned. "GoGo's turn," he told Tadashi.

"Sometimes I really hate you," Tadashi teased as he passed off the controller. "I swear you have this game memorized."

In the end he and Honey were content to watch the others play. Super Mario Brothers dissolved into a free-for-all. GoGo scooped up Hiro and threw him off a clip and then Wasabi froze her and accidently pushed her off the same cliff. Hiro punched GoGo in the shoulder and complained that she'd ruined his streak. GoGo hissed at him to be careful. She was sore. Tadashi smiled. It was just another night with the gang and it was great.

It was late when the gang decided to call it a night. Honey couldn't stop yawning and GoGo's head started bobbing. Wasabi offered to drive them home. Fred insisted once again that Heathcliff drive Hiro and Tadashi home. Wasabi and the girls headed out while Heathcliff brought a van around. Fred opted to go along for the ride. Traffic was bad. An accident had narrowed the bridge to one lane. Hiro fell asleep in the seat beside Tadashi.

"That was a lot of fun," Tadashi sighed as the neon lights of San Fransokyo blurred outside the window.

"I missed you," Fred said. Tadashi swallowed. "No one else is really competition."

"Not even Hiro?" Tadashi asked.

"He's okay, but he lacks your finesse," Fred shrugged. Tadashi laughed softly.

"Does my suit bother you too much? I don't need to do the fire thing," Fred asked. This was as serious as Tadashi'd ever seen Fred.

"I just wasn't expecting it," Tadashi said after a moment's hesitation. "The fire thing doesn't exactly make me comfortable, but I'll get used to it," Tadashi added. He remembered what Hiro had said. Fred really wanted to breathe fire. "Besides I trust you." Tadashi smiled at Fred.

"This is going to be awesome. I can see it now. Big Hero 7 Saves the World from Alien Invasion. That's what the headlines will say," Fred grinned.

"Why does it have to be an alien invasion? Why can't it be something like helps rebuild city or stops war? Maybe the aliens are friendly," Tadashi fired back.

Fred just laughed. "Dude, you clearly need to read more comics."

Back at the Café, Baymax carried Hiro upstairs and set him in bed before coming back for Tadashi. Tadashi collapsed onto the bed in exhaustion. It had been an emotionally draining day and his head throbbed from the transmitter and then the hours spent playing video games- cocooned in flashing lights and synthesized explosions.


	24. Chapter 24

"Tadashi!" Hiro's scream woke them both up. Tadashi woke with a jerk, scrambling to get the Hiro. He was closer to the edge than he though.

Tadashi felt himself slipping, but there was nothing he could do. "Shit," Tadashi moaned holding his head. His fingers were slick with blood. He'd hit the nightstand on his way to the floor. Baymax stepped out of his charging station. It was Hiro's scream that had woken him, but a quick scan showed Hiro was physically alright. Baymax made his way to Tadashi's side of the room. Tadashi was lying on the floor cradling his head.

"You have fallen," Baymax remarked.

"Thank you Baymax," Tadashi hissed through clenched teeth. "I couldn't tell." Baymax scooped Tadashi up and carried him to the bathroom. Baymax propped Tadashi on the counter beside the sink. Hiro trailed Baymax. When Baymax turned on the light and Hiro saw the blood on his brother's face Hiro's heart faltered.

"Tadashi?" Hiro's voice quivered. Baymax tried to pull Tadashi's hand away from his face, but Tadashi fended him off with the other hand.

"Just a second Baymax!" Tadashi snapped. The robot froze. Hiro blinked in surprise. He'd heard Tadashi raise his voice only a handful of times and never at Baymax. "Are you okay?" Tadashi asked turning to Hiro. "Baymax scan Hiro," Tadashi ordered when Hiro didn't answer.

"Physically Hiro is fine. Please allow me to check your cut," Baymax said.

Hiro swallowed past the lump in his throat and whispered, "It was just a nightmare." Tadashi nodded and lowered his hands. The corner of the nightstand had clipped Tadashi above the right eye, splitting the skin. Baymax cleaned the cut and applied a bandage.

"You sure you're alright?" Tadashi asked while Baymax threw away a wad of bloody gauze. Hiro looked pale and tired. His face was tear streaked and his eyes were bloodshot from crying.

"Yeah," Hiro muttered. "That was a lot of blood," Hiro added.

"Not really," Tadashi shrugged.

"Head wounds bleed a lot," Baymax chimed in. "The cut is not bad. It does not require stiches and will most likely heal without a scar."

"Because another scar would ruin my pretty face," Tadashi snorted.

"You won't have to explain that you hurt yourself falling out of bed," Hiro offered.

"Fair point," Tadashi nodded. "Geez, my head hurts," he groaned.

"I will get an icepack," Baymax offered.

"Would you mind taking me back to bed first?" Tadashi asked. Baymax nodded and scooped Tadashi up. "Sorry I snapped at you," Tadashi apologized as Baymax lowered him onto the bed. He kept his voice low so Hiro wouldn't hear. Baymax helped Tadashi prop himself up with pillows.

"It is alright. I worry about Hiro too," Baymax offered with his equivalent of a smile. Baymax headed downstairs to retrieve an ice pack. Hiro slipped into Tadashi's room.

"Sorry," Hiro sighed.

"Come on," Tadashi said patting the bed beside him. Hiro climbed up beside Tadashi and pressed himself against his brother's side. Tadashi ran his hand through Hiro's hair and held him close, like he'd done when Hiro was little. "I think we over did on the videogames," Tadashi said. Hiro relaxed against Tadashi's side.

"You weren't the one who woke up screaming," Hiro muttered.

"That doesn't mean I wasn't having nightmares," Tadashi replied.

"Maybe next time we should stick to Mario Party," Hiro sighed. Tadashi chuckled at that. Baymax returned with an icepack. Tadashi pressed it to his forehead with one hand and kept the other around Hiro's shoulder. "What time is it?" Hiro murmured.

"5AM," Tadashi said. "I've got two hours until I need to get ready. I'm seeing the psychologist at 8:30."

"I'm going to go play on the computer than," Hiro said, trying to wiggle away from Tadashi.

"Want to watch a movie instead?" Tadashi offered.

"You're not going back to sleep?" Hiro asked.

"Nah. I'm awake now and my head hurts," Tadashi shrugged.

"Baymax figured out how to hack the pay-per-view channels," Hiro smirked.

"All on his own I'm sure," Tadashi teased.

"Hiro wanted to watch _The Lord of the Rings_," Baymax explained.

"Can't argue with that," Tadashi shrugged.

"Did you know they're making _The Hobbit_ into a trilogy?" Hiro asked.

"No. It any good?" Tadashi replied.

"We can watch the first one. I've got it on iTunes," Hiro suggested.

"Sounds like a plan. My laptop is on my desk," Tadashi said.

"I will play it," Baymax offered.

"You can do that?" Tadashi frowned.

"Baymax likes to watch all the cheesy horror movies Aunt Cass has on iTunes," Hiro whispered. Tadashi burst out laughing.

"He must have got that from you," Tadashi sighed. Baymax settled on the bed in front of his charges and turned on his screen. Hiro shifted against Tadashi, getting comfortable.

"We need to have a marathon again," Hiro muttered.

"Maybe we can do that this weekend," Tadashi offered.

They didn't get to finish the move. Two hours in, Tadashi had to get ready for his first trip to the psychologist and his first official day back at SFIT. I the kitchen, Cass handed Tadashi a cup of coffee and stared at him.

"That's one nasty looking bump," she frowned.

"I fell out of bed. It's fine. Baymax patched me up," Tadashi shrugged. "I've got to get going. When Hiro gets out of the shower, tell Hiro I'll meet him in the lab later," Tadashi added.

"Okay. Last hug," Cass said. Tadashi laughed, but hugged Cass back. "Have a good day," Cass ordered.

"Will do," Tadashi nodded. Baymax carried him down to the café and waved as Tadashi headed for the bus stop.

"No little guy?" the bus driver asked as he lowered the ramp for Tadashi.

"He doesn't have class for another hour and he's moving slow this morning," Tadashi explained.

The psychologist's office was in the human resources wing of the student union building. Tadashi wound his way through a maze of tiled hallways before reaching the door labeled Dr. Williams. Tadashi knocked on the door. "Come in," someone called. Tadashi struggled with the heavy door. "Oh. Sorry. I hate this thing," a woman said, rushing to hold the door for Tadashi. Dr. Williams was a middle aged woman with a mane of curly brunette hair and a warm, easy smile.

"Good morning. Dr. Williams I presume," Tadashi smiled, offering the woman his hand.

"The one and only. Tadashi right?" she clarified. She had a good handshake- firm, but not bone crushing. Tadashi nodded and situated himself in front of the desk.

"I've never done something like this before, so I'm really not sure what I'm supposed to do," Tadashi said. Dr. Williams sat back down at her desk. The office was nice. Her desk was an old oak monstrosity. Behind the desk was a wall of glass that looked out towards the lab. The walls had a couple paintings, mostly landscapes and there was a comfortable looking chair that Tadashi assumed was where patients normally sat.

"Don't worry. Most of the students I see have never been to a therapist of psychologist before," Dr. Williams smiled.

"You see a lot of students?" Tadashi asked. He hadn't even realized this part of the building existed until he'd come looking for it.

"Depends on the time of year. I get as we get closer to the end of semester. Some people have a tendency to overload themselves or work themselves into a break down. And then I occasionally get students in situations like yours," Dr. Williams explained. Tadashi nodded.

"So how does this work?" Tadashi asked.

"I usually like to spend the first secession getting to know you and a little bit about where you are mentally," Dr. Williams said. "If that sounds okay to you. I'm pretty flexible."

"Sounds fine to me," Tadashi shrugged.

"Alright then. Why don't you start by telling me about your family?" she prompted.

"My family's a bit unconventional. My parents were killed in a car crash when I was 10. My little brother, Hiro, is seven years younger than me. The two of us live with our Aunt Cass. She took us in about a year after the accident. Then there's Baymax and the rest of the gang," Tadashi started. Dr. Williams nodded. She was a good listener and Tadashi found himself talking about meeting the rest of the gang and building Baymax. "At this point they're part of the family," Tadashi smiled. "Hiro likes to joke that he's actually got three big brothers, two big sisters, and a little brother. The funny part is that it's really not that much of a joke."

"It sounds like you've got a really good support network," Dr. Williams commented.

"You have no idea," Tadashi sighed.

"So how are you doing?" Dr. Williams asked, cutting to the heart of why the school had sent Tadashi to her.

"Not bad all things considered," Tadashi shrugged.

"What does that mean?"

"I have nightmares most nights. There are days I feel useless and sick, but less now that I'm up and going and doing. I hate that I need help to do so many things now and I hate the way people look at me with pity. I'm in a wheelchair. I'm not an invalid. I can't go for a run before class anymore, but I can still invent and help people," Tadashi said. Dr. Williams nodded. She looked thoughtful.

"Do you always wear a hat?" she asked. The question took Tadashi off guard.

"Uh yeah," he stammered.

"Why?" Dr. Williams asked.

"Hiro gave it to me when I got accepted to SFIT. I've always worn it and I guess it makes me less self-conscious of my scars," Tadashi said somewhat defensively. "Mostly I wear it because I've always worn it. I like it."

"Fair enough. How is it to be back at SFIT?" Dr. Williams switched topics.

"I've missed it. I've missed the excitement and the activity and the people. It's really cool to have Hiro here with me and be working on projects," Tadashi said.

"You know the whole story behind the explosion now right?" Dr. Williams asked.

"Yeah," Tadashi sighed.

"How are you handling that?" Dr. Williams' eyes were soft.

"Honestly I'm angry," Tadashi admitted.

"I can imagine it's hard for you. A lot of us looked up to Callahagn and his betrayal cut deep, but that can only be a small fraction of the emotion you are feeling. You lost a lot," Dr. William said sympathetically.

"That's not what I meant," Tadashi stopped her. "I'm not happy that I'm paralyzed, but I'm lucky to be alive. Really lucky. And I know I'm going to be okay. I'm adapting. My anger at the professor comes from what he did to Hiro and the rest of my family," Tadashi elaborated.

"What do you mean? I didn't know Hiro and the professor spoke after the fire," Dr. Williams asked. The hour was up, but she didn't want to stop now that she was really getting somewhere with Tadashi. Tadashi took off his cap and pointed to the bandage and swollen bump above his eyebrow.

"I'm not the only one who struggles with nightmares. I got this falling out of bed this morning, trying to get to Hiro. He woke up screaming and in my rush I guess I forgot I can't walk," Tadashi told her.

"You're pretty protective of Hiro?" Dr. Williams guessed.

"Of all my family. I'd do anything for them," Tadashi agreed.

"One last question for today. What's your goal after graduating?" Dr. Williams asked. Tadashi frowned.

"Help people," he answered at last. "I don't know what my life is going to look like. A lot can change in a couple years and we don't even know the full extent of my injuries yet. I don't know what exactly I'm going to be doing or even what degree I'm going to end up graduating with. But I'm going to be doing something that makes the world a better place," Tadashi elaborated. Dr. Williams smiled.

"And on that optimistic note, I'll see you next week," she said, getting up to hold the door for Tadashi. Tadashi slipped out past her and headed for the lab. Talking had felt good, but he was going to have to be careful not to let too much slip about Hiro and the gang's double identities.


	25. Chapter 25

Tadashi blinked at the sun outside the SUB (Student Union Building). He glanced at his phone and sighed. Hiro would have to wait. Tadashi's first class started in a half hour and he wasn't totally sure where it was. The Computer Science building reminded Tadashi of very nice office building. It was plain in comparison to the architectural marvel that was the Ishitoka Robotics Lab despite being a couple years newer. The building soared ten stories above campus and a domed observatory perched on the roof. Inside lecture halls and computer labs filled ach floor. Advanced Multilanguage Coding was on the sixth floor in room 609. The wall separating the computer lab from the hallway was made of windows. Tadashi marveled at the sheer volume of high tech computers in the room. A man he assumed was the professor held the door open, welcoming students and checking names off a list. That was Tadashi's first clue that this wasn't just standard junior level coding class. The only professor he'd had who took the time to learn every student's name was Callahagn. As a general rule no one bothered to see who showed up to class. Either you were there or you weren't. The teachers saw too many students each day to keep track of the ones who didn't want to be noticed. Tadashi rolled up to the door. The professor was a tall thin man, younger than Tadashi had expected. He was in his mid to late thirties. His dusty brown hair was neatly combed and behind his thick glasses green eyes glittered. "You must be Tadashi Hamada," the man nodded to Tadashi.

"Yes sir," Tadashi replied.

"No sirs here Mr. Hamada. That's my dad. Everyone calls me Mack or Mr. Trivel if we're being formal. It's a pleasure to have you in class," the man smiled. He checked Tadashi off on his clipboard and handed Tadashi a syllabus. There were two columns of tables in the room. Tadashi picked a computer in the second row on the edge of the middle aisle on the right side of the room. Students trickled in, greeting each other and Mr. Trivel, no Mack, Tadashi mentally corrected. All said and done, Mack closed the door and turned to face his fifteen students. "Alright. I see mostly familiar faces here. For those of you who don't know mw, my name is Mack. I'm a pretty chill guy. In this classroom we have 2 rules. Rule one is respect. It's pretty simple, you respect me and the equipment and I'll respect you. Rule number 2 goes along with rule one. Do not use my classroom to hack people. Especially the school. I don't want to have to deal with the paper and you'll get expelled and it' really not worth the hassle." Tadashi's mouth dropped. "Also on the hacking note, I am teaching you the skills to bend technology to your will. It's like a superpower. I expect you to use it wisely. Do not release virus onto the school mainframe. Do not hack you ex-girlfriend's email. In the event I discover that you are misusing your powers, be forewarned I am quite skilled at digital combat and I will not hesitate to-" Mack paused and turned to watch a girl with bubble gum pink hair slip in. "Nice of you to join us Risa," he nodded. The girl saluted Mack and flopped into the seat beside Tadashi.

"Have you told them about the time you changed all of the guy's profiles to My Little Pony stuff?" Risa asked. Mack chuckled darkly.

"What year was that?" he asked.

"My freshman year. He uploaded a some unpleasant videos of his ex after she broke up with him and was harassing other students," Risa said.

"I remember now, poor girl came to me to find out if I could erase the video. I helped her report it and have it taken down," Mack smiled.

"Then you hacked all his social media profiles and changed it all to My Little Pony," Risa added. "We called him Rainbow Dash all year. Every time he tried to fix his accounts it just changed his profile picture to a different pony."

Mack shook his head, but a mischievous smile played along his lips. "As I was saying before Miss Miller interrupted- be mature, descent human beings or I'll make sure what goes around will come around."

The class snickered.

"Now this class is going to be a bit unconventional. It doesn't officially start until second semester so we have two weeks of class before class actually starts. This time will be a review of several coding languages. From there we will start applying our coding skills, looking at the grammar if you will of programming and begin working on projects. I know many of you are preparing for the end of the year showcase, so I will give you one class period a week where I will answer questions and let you work on your projects. If you need to go to another lab, come talk to me. Now let's take a look at the languages we will be using…" From there things started flying over Tadashi's head. He was pretty good with the moor engineering geared languages, but some of these he'd never heard of. Tadashi gave up trying to follow Mack's introduction. He resigned himself to switching out before the class actually started if he couldn't pick up a lot in the two weeks. He could see a lot of nights spent reading textbooks in his near future. The pink haired girl, Risa was folding her syllabus into an origami bird. She made an odd impression. The black leather jacket and combat boots gave her a punk aura, but her pink hair done up in pigtails made her seem younger. "Aright, that's all I've got for today. Make sure you understand the first three chapters in your textbook, because that's where we'll pick up Monday morning. Feel free to talk amongst yourselves. If anyone is going to go get coffee I'll give you a five to bring me back a small tea and muffin," Mack clapped his hands together and reclined in his computer chair. Tadashi stared at their teacher and shook his head. This man was the most unconventional teacher he'd ever seen.

"Mack's pretty great, right?" Risa asked Tadashi.

"Uh yeah. Unlike any teacher I've ever had," Tadashi nodded.

"He's really excited that he got enough people to sign up for this class. It's the first real world, project driven coding class at SFIT. He's modelling it after the engineering and design classes," Risa said.

"Oh. So how much coding do people here have?" Tadashi asked.

"It varies," Risa said and Tadashi sighed in relief. "But we're all the tops of our classes. Most everyone is fluent in at least two coding languages. A lot of the younger students are self-taught," she added. "You worried?"

"Yes," Tadashi said.

"I've never seen you in the computer labs, what's you major?" Risa asked.

"Electrical and Computer Engineering with a minor in robotics," Tadashi said.

Risa whistled. "How did you end up in this class?" she asked.

"I needed something besides heavy machining and I told the dean I wanted to get into some more heavy duty programming. This is where they put me," Tadashi shrugged.

"Your record must have impressed Mack. He was really picky about who gets in this class," Risa commented. She looked Tadashi over again. "Don't stress about being behind. Mack won't let you fail. If he has to modify your assignments he'll do it, but I doubt he'd take you if he had any doubts about your ability to make it," Risa assured Tadashi. "You got a project in mind?" she asked. Tadashi hesitated and then told her about the universal remote that Hiro had convinced him to think about.

"So essentially you want a program that can hack most basic technology," Risa clarified. Tadashi wasn't sure he liked the gleam in her eyes.

"I guess, but I don't want it for hacking," Tadashi said.

"You don't like the word hack do you?" Risa smiled. "You're talking about accessing the computer brain in stuff and that my friend is hacking. Get used to the word. You're in a class full of hackers being taught by a man who has the power to destroy the world with a single line of code." Tadashi swallowed.

"Is it even possible to build something like that?" Tadashi asked.

"Yes, but you're going to need a lot more coding skills than the stuff they give you on the engineering side of campus," Risa told Tadashi. "I may be able to help you with that. I usually tutor the freshmen and sophomores, but I could probably help you," she offered.

"Thanks, but I guess I'll see where I can get myself. I have done quite a bit of programming, just not with these languages," Tadashi shrugged. "You got a project?" Tadashi asked.

"I'm designing an antivirus for the school's system," Risa shrugged.

"That's cool," Tadashi replied. Risa smiled.

"Yeah. I'm working to make it intelligent so to speak. I want it to learn about viruses and rewrite itself to counter them. In theory it won't need updates. It will live in the system adapting to any threat- virus, malware, hackers," Risa told Tadashi. Excitement was audible in her voice.

"Wow," Tadashi smiled.

"I'm struggling to get it to learn though. If I manually tell it to store the procedure to neutralize a virus it works, but I haven't figured out how to get it to do that automatically. I wish there was some kind of a learning code I could look at, but I haven't found any," Risa explained.

"Would an example work if it were in a different coding language?" Tadashi asked.

"It'd give me a different way to approach the problem," Risa shrugged.

"I might be able to help you," Tadashi said. "Ever met Baymax?"

"No?" Risa raised an eyebrow.

"I might be able to get you an example of a code that learns," Tadashi chuckled.

"You're odd," Risa told Tadashi. He blinked in surprise. "You don't want help, but you're the first person in line to help someone else." Tadashi shrugged. "How about a trade? I help you and you help me. Will that allow you to let go of your ego?" she asked.

"I don't have an ego," Tadashi defended.

"Then why'd you say no when I offered to help you get caught up?" Risa challenged.

"I guess I'm too stubborn for my own good," Tadashi said.

Risa laughed. "I won't argue with that." She pulled a business card out of her bag and handed it to Tadashi. "Give reading the textbook a shot. When you get stuck call me," she smiled. Then Risa stood up, grabbed her bag and walked out of the room. Class was almost over. Tadashi chatted with a few other students, but didn't stick around long. Tadashi headed for the lab. He missed Hiro by about 5 minutes according to Wasabi. Tadashi shrugged and settled in the office with his coding textbook. He set up his laptop and did his best to work through the chapters, taking notes as he went. There were places that Tadashi had to look up words, acronyms, and references. It was slow going. When the office door opened, Tadashi looked up, welcoming the excuse to take a break.

"Hey Hiro-Oh," The woman stopped and stared at Tadashi. He'd never seen her before, but there was something familiar about her. "Sorry. I'll come back," she stammered.

"Wait, come on in. It's no big deal. Tadashi glanced at the clock. Hiro should be out of class anytime. You can wait if you want," Tadashi offered. The woman nodded and stepped into the office. "I hope the knucklehead hasn't gotten himself in any trouble," Tadashi smiled.

"Just the opposite. I had a question for him," the woman said. She wouldn't look Tadashi in the eyes. She kept her head down as she leaned against the counter. Her long brown hair hid part of her face.

"I'm Hiro's older brother by the way, Tadashi Hamada," Tadashi introduced himself. The woman swallowed.

"Nice to meet you Tadashi. My name's Abigail. I've heard a lot about you," she said at last. Then it clicked.

"You're Callahagn's daughter?" Tadashi clarified.

"Yeah. I can leave. It's not a big deal," Abigail insisted.

"Why? GoGo told me a while ago that I should meet you. I just haven't had a spare minute to look you up," Tadashi soothed. He watched her with curiosity. He'd heard very little about Abigail Callahagn.

"I'm sorry," Abigail said. She darted a glance at Tadashi.

"For what? We just met," Tadashi teased. He knew what she meant, but tried to keep the mood light. She seemed so genuinely upset and uncomfortable.

"You always so light hearted?" Abigail asked.

"I try to be. Some days it doesn't work so well, but I figure what's the point of dwelling on the bad. It just makes you miss all the good bits," Tadashi shrugged. Abigail smiled at that. "So what do you need from the knucklehead?" Tadashi asked.

"It's really silly. Promise not to laugh," Abigail asked. She met Tadashi's eyes for the first time. Tadashi just raised an eyebrow. "Hiro's been helping me readjust. Mostly I have issues with technology," Abigail explained.

"Missing 20 years will do that to you," Tadashi commented. Abigail snorted.

"No shit Sherlock," she rolled her eyes. "I got a new phone yesterday. A friend talked me into one of the smartphones and it won't stop dinging at me. I've read the manual and am ready to resort to taking the stupid thing apart. I was going to ask Hiro for some help or a screwdriver," Abigail said. Tadashi chuckled. Then an obnoxious "ching" filled the office. "See what I mean," Abigail sighed.

"Let me take a look," Tadashi said. Abigail pulled the phone out of her pocket and handed it to Tadashi.

"Every noise is a different notification," Tadashi told her.

"What's that mean?" Abigail sighed.

"It means someone installed a bunch of apps- software- on it and all of those programs are trying to get your attention. That last ding was telling you someone named Lindsey got a new high score in Candy Crush," Tadashi explained.

"Can you make it not ding," Abigail asked.

"Yeah watch. I'll show you how," Tadashi replied. Abigail stepped closer. "I'm really not going to bite," Tadashi teased. Abigail came and stood over his shoulder watching how he navigated the settings.

"Thanks," Abigail said accepting the phone back from Tadashi. "Lindsey's my roommate. She helped me activate the thing."

"So how are you doing?" Tadashi asked.

"Lots of big adjustments," Abigail sighed. "The university has been a life saver. They've gave me a job as an adjunct professor in physics, set me up in one of the dorms, and even got me connected with a counselor. How about you?"

"Same. Adjusting. Takes time to rebuild a life," Tadashi nodded.

"He's never going to forgive himself for what he did," Abigail said softly. Tadashi froze. Of course Callahagn would have been told of Tadashi's survival.

"Visit him often?" Tadashi asked.

"Not as much as I should. Honestly, I don't know how to feel about him. He's my dad and I love him, but he… he really messed up," Abigail fidgeted with her phone.

"I'm not going to disagree and I can't say I forgive him- he hurt a lot of people-, but I can understand why he lost it. Hiro came pretty close to walking a similar path," Tadashi sighed.

"You're pretty incredible," Abigail smiled at Tadashi. "Although I don't know what else I should have expected from the guy who created Baymax."

"You've met Baymax?" Tadashi asked.

"He and Hiro visited me in the hospital. Hiro brought some battle bots a couple times. He said he needed help testing them and heard I used to fight," Abigail smiled. Tadashi burst out laughing.

"Please tell me you kicked his arrogant little butt," Tadashi smiled.

"A few times," Abigail said, modestly. "The nurses weren't real fond of the noise." Abigail glanced at the clock. "I should probably go. I'm helping with a lab in an hour and I need to help set up," Abigail sighed.

"That's exciting," Tadashi smiled.

"It really is. I like teaching, but I'm really itching to get back into the actual big experiments," she nodded. "You should come watch one of these days when the grad students get the particle accelerator running," Abigail offered.

"That'd be cool," Tadashi nodded. "I'm hoping you won't avoid the lab. If you want to get back into experimenting, I'm sure they'd give a space here."

"Keep a secret?" Abigail asked. She was hovering near the door. Tadashi nodded.

"I applied for a job in Krei Tech's research division. I've made it to the short short list and have another interview in acoupl days," Abigail said. Tadashi beamed.

"Congratulations. You'll have to tell us if when you get the job," Tadashi replied.

"If," Abigail corrected.

"When," Tadashi agreed. Abigail laughed and left.

Tadashi went back to fighting his way through the textbook. He didn't really want to deal with all the thoughts and emotions talking to Abigail had dredged up. Tadashi rubbed his face. He was tired and his head hurt. Abigail was cool, but talking about Professor Callahagn made Tadashi's stomach roll. There were so many conflicting emotions brought on by the mention of his former mentor.


	26. Chapter 26

Tadashi spent the weekend watching movies with Hiro, helping Aunt Cass in the café, and trying to make sense of his text book for Advanced Multilanguage Coding. Saturday morning he woke up with a black eye. Hiro thought it was hilarious. Sunday night, Tadashi closed his text book and reached for his backpack. He'd shoved the paper Risa had given him in the pouch without really looking at it. It was a business card. "Hacker and Programmer," Tadashi read with a smile. It seemed like such a mundane title for Risa. He dialed the number. Risa answered on the third ring.

"Hello?" Risa asked. The background noise was absurd.

"Hi. It's Tadashi," Tadashi replied. "I was wondering if you'd still be willing to help me with the coding."

"Hold on one sec," Risa cut him off. Tadashi could hear her yelling at someone, but there was too much other background noise to make out the words. The familiar screech of metal on metal cut through the noise and made Tadashi wince. "BAKA!" Risa screamed. Tadashi blinked in surprise. The background noise faded. "Sorry about that," Risa apologized.

"Are you okay?" Tadashi asked.

"Better than okay actually. I just won a couple hundred dollars," Risa beamed. "Anyway, Yeah the offer stands. How far did you make it?" She changed the subject.

"I made it through the first three chapters, but they make no sense. Are you bot fighting?" Tadashi frowned. One his side of the bedroom Hiro turned to look at Tadashi.

"Maybe," Risa replied. Tadashi could practically feel her smirking through the phone. "I never would have figured you for an ex-fighter," Risa teased.

"I'm not. I've spent a lot of years dragging my brother away from fights," Tadashi snapped. "Be careful. You'll get yourself arrested."

"Yes mom," RIsa snorted. "I'm free after class tomorrow," she added.

"Thanks. I really appreciate the help," Tadashi sighed. "Be careful getting home."

"I'm not far from my apartment, Mom, and I can take care of myself," Risa replied.

"See you tomorrow then," Tadashi said.

"Bye Mom," Risa snickered and hung up. Tadashi stared at the phone in his hand and wondered what he was getting himself into.

"Do NOT get any ideas," Tadashi glared at Hiro. Hiro put his hands up defensively.

"I'm out," Hiro insisted. "Too busy with school to waste time building bots just for them to get trashed." Tadashi nodded and leaned back in his chair. "So who's your new friend?" Hiro asked.

"Her name's Risa. She's some kind of a crazy hacker. She volunteered to help me get up to speed on my programming," Tadashi explained.

"What's she like?" Hiro asked.

"Odd," Tadashi replied without hesitation. "She kind of reminds me of you."

"Hey!" Hiro protested. Tadashi just laughed.

Tadashi got in bed. Hiro insisted on staying up a bit longer to work on the scanner for his search and rescue bot. Tadashi woke up just after 1AM to see the light still on at Hiro's desk.

"Baymax?" Tadashi whispered. The robot looked up from his charging station. "Is Hiro asleep at the desk?" Tadashi asked. Baymax nodded. "Would you bring him here please?" Tadashi asked. Baymax nodded again. He stepped out of the charging station and disappeared from Tadashi's view. The light on Hiro's side of the room went out. Baymax reappeared in Tadashi's door, cradling Hiro in his arms. Tadashi patted the bed beside him. Baymax tucked Hiro in and turned to Tadashi.

"I recommend Hiro take mild pain relivers in the morning. He was lying with his spine out of alignment. He will be sore in the morning," Baymax whispered. Tadashi chuckled softly.

"He'll probably be fine. The kid's like a stinking ferret when it comes to sleeping," Tadashi smiled. Baymax just blinked at him. "Night Baymax," Tadashi sighed.

"Good Night," Baymax replied before returning to his charging station.

Tadashi sighed and settled back into his pillow. He draped an arm over Hiro and drifted off to sleep.

Mack's lecture went over Tadashi's head. He recognized some of what the professor was saying, but the connecting bits were gibberish. Tadashi frantically copied whatever Mack put on the board and did his best to keep up. Risa had a notebook out, but unless she was tacking actual notes in some coding language, Tadashi doubted she was even hearing Mack. What she was writing bore no resemblance to the examples Mack put on the board. Risa looked tired. There were circles under her eyes and she was sporting a new cut on her cheek. Her pink hair was in pigtails again. She was wearing the same black leather jacket from Friday with a black mini-skirt and a dark red t-shirt. When class let out, Risa put her notebook away and turned to Tadashi.

"Ready?" she smiled.

"Yeah. Are we doing it here or…?" Tadashi trailed off.

"No we'll go to one of the other labs. Mack's got freshmen coming in 15," Risa said. "Come on." Tadashi followed Risa out of the Comp Sci building and to the art building of all places. "My favorite lab is in the basement," Risa explained. Tadashi nodded. He looked around the building and probably could have lingered in the main hallway all day. He'd never actually been in the building before. The walls were a mess of murals and sketches. Sculptures and pottery filled a dozen alcoves. Shelves housed the smaller, more delicate pieces. Risa had to hold the elevator for him, he lagged so much. They stepped out into a lab that was the polar opposite of Nerd lab. The basement was one big room. Most of it was devoted to banks of machinery, blinking in the semi-dark. "That's the school's data storage and main frame," Risa explained. The other quarter was rows of tables. Sleek, state of the art computers crouched atop the tables. A counter ran around the edge of the room. Windows let in the little light that seeped down the window wells. The florescent lights hung on exposed wires from the ceiling. The room was an odd mix of industrial and high tech. A couple of other students were hanging around. Two were working on the computers. Another one was sitting on the counter sipping a cup of coffee. He nodded to Risa and gave a little half wave. "Come on. I'll introduce you," Risa smiled. The counter sitter's name was Dave. He was a junior majoring in graphic arts. He complained to Risa about the library computers not having some software and she nodded her head in sympathy. He and Risa mad quite a pair. Dave had shoulder length hair, dyed black and his ripped black jeans screamed garage band punk, but his smile was open and friendly. He hopped off the counter to shake Tadashi's hand and offered a cup of coffee from the machine in the corner. One of the girls at the computers looked vaguely familiar. Risa introduced her as Christine. Christine was a senior in Computer Science and Business. She was wearing an SFIT jersey.

"I'm on the basketball team. We've got a match tonight," Christine smiled. Her friend's name was Brittney and she was sophomore. Christine was helping her with a bit of coding.

Risa directed Tadashi to a computer and flopped down in a chair beside him. She swiveled in the chair and grinned at Tadashi. "Welcome to Hacking 101," Risa said. Her expression reminded Tadashi of GoGo getting ready to test a new bike. "Get that machine booted up. If you want to build a 'universal' remote control, we've got a lot of work to do," Risa ordered. She walked Tadashi through some basic projects, teaching him the grammar and vocabulary of the three languages they were using in class. "You learn fast," Risa commented. Tadashi shrugged. His head was swimming. "Are you bilingual?" Risa asked.

"Yeah. My parents made sure Hiro and I could speak both Japanese and English. I kept speaking it while we were growing up. Aunt Cass helped me. She's fluent as well, just a bit rusty," Tadashi smiled.

"That's probably why you pick this up so quick. It's just another language," Risa smiled.

"You speak Japanese right?" Tadashi said.

"Some. I'm not fluent," Risa shrugged. "How did you know?"

"I heard you yell at someone last night," Tadashi smirked.

"Yeah. A lot of Yama's people speak Japanese so I'm able to hold my own in a basic conversation," Risa explained. She hesitated, but decided to ask her question anyway. "You don't live with your parents…?"

"They died when I was ten. Car crash," Tadashi told her.

"I'm sorry," Risa mumbled. She ducked her head embarrassed.

"Thanks. Hiro and I live with our Aunt. She's pretty amazing," Tadashi smiled. Risa glanced at her watch.

"I've got class in a half hour and I want to grab some lunch. I can meet you later if you want," Risa offered.

"You could come to the robotics lab. I'm working on getting you a copy of that learning code I was telling you about," Tadashi said.

"Okay. I've never actually been in that building," Risa smiled. Then she was gone. Tadashi saved the programs he'd been working on and packed up. Risa'd been a big help. The lab had filled up considerably while they'd worked. The students were a really diverse group. The ranged from the punk like Risa and Dave to the athletic Christine to the everyday average appearing student. The cavern like lab was starting to grow on Tadashi, but that didn't stop him from relishing the sunlight when he made his way out of the art building.

Tadashi found Hiro and Baymax working away in the Hamadas' office. "How do you feel about letting someone look at Baymax's coding?" Tadashi asked.

"Who and why?" Hiro asked without looking up from his search mostly disassembled search and rescue bot.

"Risa. She's working on a kind of digital Baymax, an antivirus that learns and adapts. It will protect the school's mainframe from hackers and viruses and optimize things. She's struggling to automate the learning piece and looking at Baymax's code might help her," Tadashi explained. "I wanted to know what you two thought before I did anything," Tadashi added.

"That's kind of like asking to let her read a journal," Hiro said.

"I know. She's stopping by the lab this afternoon to check help me with some homework. You can meet her then," Tadashi replied.

"If you trust her that's good enough for me. You'll just let her see a copy right? You don't have to take it out or anything," Hiro clarified.

"Yeah. I was actually thinking this would be a good time to make a backup as well. We wouldn't want anything to happen to Baymax," Tadashi smiled.

"Risa wants to help people?" Baymax asked.

"I don't know, buddy. You can ask her that this afternoon," Tadashi said.

"I would like that," Baymax smiled.

"She's the bot fighter?" Hiro asked.

"Do NOT get any ideas," Tadashi snapped. Hiro just chuckled. Some days it was fun to just ruffle Tadashi's feathers.


	27. Chapter 27

Risa stared around the robotics lab in complete and utter wonder. One of the underclassmen pointed her towards the Hamadas' office. The door was partly closed, so she knocked on the door frame.

"Come in," Tadashi called. Tadashi was sitting at his desk typing away on a laptop. Risa hardly glanced at him. Baymax was putting the finishing touches on a Lego castle in the middle of the room. It stood about three feet tall.

"Hello," Baymax said.

"Hi," Risa replied. "Umm Tadashi?" Risa tore her eyes away from Baymax. Tadashi just smiled.

"I am Baymax. Personal Healthcare Companion," Baymax introduced himself.

"I'm Risa," she replied.

"You are the programmer?" Baymax asked. "Tadashi speaks highly of you," Baymax smiled. Tadashi winced at the desk.

"Looking at you, I think he should be giving me lessons not the other way around," Risa shook her head.

"Tada- YOU!" Hiro walked in the door and froze. Risa turned around and stared at the younger Hamada.

"No way," Risa laughed.

"You two know each other?" Tadashi asked.

"She used to hang out at Yama's. She'd go through a bot a night," Hiro informed Tadashi.

"But I never got beat up," Risa added.

"Yeah, but you always lost," Hiro snorted.

"Not true. I always lost to Yama," Risa corrected.

"Same difference. He's not all that great," Hiro sneered.

"And that's your problem. It's not enough to be a robotics genius. In order to be a successful bot fighter you need to be able to read people. You can win a lot of money at Yama's. He likes the attention good fighters bring to his club. More people means more money, but there's a fine line between being successful and winning too much. You have to know when to lose or you end up bruised," Risa snapped. The two glared at each other. Tadashi waited and Baymax waited.

"I guess. I just hate losing," Hiro sighed. "Mostly because that means my bot gets ruined." Tadashi relaxed. It appeared the two were not going to go at each.

"That's why you use disposable bots when you're playing at a place like Yama's," Risa said.

"I guess," Hiro sighed. HE walked over to his desk and flopped down in his chair.

"How's the castle coming?" Hiro asked Baymax.

"Nearly finished. I will require more gray pieces," Baymax smiled.

Hiro glanced at Tadashi.

"We just bought more last week," Tadashi complained. Hiro pointed at the castle. "Can't you take something else apart?" Tadashi asked Baymax. "We really don't have room for you to keep everything you build."

"Okay," Baymax replied. Risa swore she could hear disappointment in the robot's voice.

"So what are you working on?" RIsa asked Tadashi after a minute.

"The projects you and Mack assigned," Tadashi sighed.

"Want me to check your work?" Risa offered.

"Yes please," Tadashi said. "I think I'm finished with a couple of these, but they won't run." Hiro picked up his bot and went back to work installing the scanner. Risa pulled up a chair beside Tadashi and went through his code. His mistakes were little things- a dropped comma or a misspelled word or an extra space. Afterwards, Risa got Hiro talking about his search and rescues bot. He was surrounded by its inner workings and she was fascinated by the intricate micro circuits. Slowly Hiro's one word answers turned into long technical explanations. Tadashi smiled behind his laptop. Hiro loved showing off and Risa made a good audience. She was interested and had enough basic knowledge that everything he said didn't go over her head.

"Tadashi said you're writing some kind of an antivirus and you want it to be smart," Hiro said during a lull in the conversation. He didn't look up from his bot.

"Yeah, almost more of a digital guard dog than an antivirus," Risas nodded.

"Why?" Baymax asked. Risa blinked in surprise. She'd been there for an hour and a half and the robot hadn't showed much interest in her beyond the initial introductions.

"It's my project. I'm going to debut it at the next showcase," Risa explained.

"But why did you choose that project? Why not write a videogame or a code that solves complex math problems?" Baymax asked.

Risa had to think for a minute. "The world is going digital and San Fransokyo lives on the bleeding edge of technology. The power system, the monorails, all communication, and just about everything else in this city are all connected to a essentially a giant computer. And while that makes things really convenient, it also makes the city really vulnerable. There are probably fifteen students at SFIT that have the hacking skills to bring the city to its knees. No one's tired yet, but it's only a matter of time before there's a cyber-attack. The things protected, but not well enough. It needs an antivirus software that is adaptable because of the time gap between when someone writes a new virus and the antivirus software gets an update to counter that new virus. By the time the update rolls around, the cyber-attack is already under way. Then, if the antivirus has a bit of AI in it then in theory it can fend off hackers as well," Risa explained.

"You want to help people," Baymax clarified.

"That's one way of looking at it. I saw a problem and I decided to fix. San Fran is home and I don't want it to get destroyed by some psycho with a laptop," Risa shrugged.

"When you look at Baymax's programming, make sure you copy the part that limits his actions," Hiro ordered. Risa frowned at Hiro. "The last thing we need is a sentient bit of code deciding that it wants to take over the world. Baymax's programming prevents him from harming a human being. You should probably do something similar with your program," Hiro explained.

"That would be wise," Baymax agreed.

"You're going to let me look at Baymax's programming?" Risa asked in surprise. Tadashi reached in his pocket and pulled out a chip.

"Copied it this morning," he said handing it to Risa. She stared at the chip. "It's going to be a mess to sort through," Tadashi apologized. "Baymax adds to and changes his code all time. There's basic stuff he can't change like the no hurting humans rule, but the rest is fair game. That's how he's developed a personality and emotions," Tadashi explained. Coming from anyone else, Risa would have laughed at that. Robots can't have emotions. That only happened in movies, but after what she'd read about Baymax and seen him interact with the Hamadas she wasn't so sure.

"We really are crossing over into the world of science fiction," Rias smiled. "I think I'm going to like living in a comic book style world with emotional robot friends and superheroes," she joked. The Hamadas smiled, but neither of them laughed. Risa tucked the chip in her pocket. She stayed and talked with the brothers a bit longer, and then headed out. Tadashi had a lecture coming up and Hiro had started talking to his robot parts in frustration.


	28. Chapter 28

Things were normal for a week. The Hamadas went to class, hung out with friends, and worked on homework over the dinner table. Risa helped Tadashi with his coding. By Thursday, the things Mack said in class started making sense. Aunt Cass found Hiro and Tadashi both slumped over textbooks Thursday nights. The city's 7 heroes had rescued people from a monorail Wednesday night. A brief power outage had caused the train to stop high above the city. Cass ruffled Hiro's hair and smiled at her boys.

"Hey Baymax would you take them upstairs?" Cass asked. Baymax nodded. He scooped up Tadashi while Cass gently shook Hiro awake and ordered him to bed. "It will all be waiting for you in the morning," Cass ordered when Hiro protested that he still had homework.

Friday, Tadashi started writing the code for his project. At the end of the day, Risa stopped by the robotics building and check his work.

"Is Baymax's code helping you?" Tadashi asked her.

"I'm working on deciphering it," Risa sighed. "I hope I'll have time to really just work on it this weekend."

Class ended for the day and Fred convinced the gang to come back to his house for movie night. Pizza, popcorn, and ridiculous amount of caffeinated soda later Hiro was bouncing from wall to wall, GoGo was sprawled on a couch- she swore she was NOT asleep-, and Honey Lemon was in the kitchen with Healthcliff talking about baking. Wasabi, Fred, and the three Hamadas watched the new Star Trek movies back to back. GoGo started snoring part way through the second one. Tadashi had to hold Hiro back to keep him from attempting to draw a mustache on GoGo.

"That is not a road you want to go down, little buddy," Wasabi laughed softly.

"If you don't stop smacking me, I'm going to let you do it," Tadashi growled as Hiro struggled. Hiro gave up when GoGo rolled off the couch and curled up beside Baymax. She mumbled something about being cold, so Baymax turned on his heaters. Baymax wouldn't let Hiro bother GoGo, something about her getting an insufficient amount of sleep. Healthcliff drove the gang home at the end of the night. The Hamadas were the first dropped off. They waved to Aunt Cass and headed for bed. It had been a long week. The news had only covered one of the gang's nightly escapades. GoGo had talked them into patrolling the streets after there were reports of people being attacked around SFIT. While they hadn't found any gangs of muggers, the team had chased off drug dealers, stopped isolated muggings, foiled a couple robberies, and made sure that any drunks they came across weren't going to drown in vomit before morning. Tadashi was living with a constant, pressure in his skull. As long as he kept his time in the suit down to three or less hours a day, it didn't turn into the debilitating pain, but the pressure wore on his nerves and made him uncharacteristically grumpy. When Dr. Williams questioned it, Tadashi sighted lack of sleep and increased stress- neither of which were lies. Friday night was a bad night for both boys. Tadashi woke them both up screaming, twice. Hiro didn't scream, but between Tadashi's outbursts Hiro woke up with his face streaked with tears. He pressed himself closer to Tadashi and did his best to forget the dreams. After Tadashi's second scream, Baymax refused to leave them alone. The robot situated himself on Tadashi's other side, turned on his heater, and draped and arm over his charges. Tadashi mumbled something about needing a bigger bed, but didn't resist. Baymax's bulk was comforting.

When the first sunlight slipped in Tadashi's window, the boys rolled out of bed. Both were blurry eyed and tired, but ready for the night to be over. Hiro had brought Search-and-Rescue bot home for the weekend. He was on the verge of getting it operational- Baymax style scanner and all. Hiro commandeered the kitchen table for bot assembly. Tadashi sat in his chair beside Hiro with his laptop in his lap. Tadashi watched Hiro work and typed away on his code. Rias had given him several books on hacking and Tadashi was trying to put what he'd read into practice. Aunt Cass came upstairs to check on the boys and was surprised to find them up. "What are you two doing up?" she frowned.

"I'm trying to get this guy ready for the winter showcase," Hiro muttered. "And Tadashi's trying to hack my email," Hiro added. Cass just shook her head.

"I swear I'm never going to understand you," Cass yawned. "When I was you age nothing could have got me out of bed at this hour, especially not homework."

"They had nightmares," Baymax interjected. Cass's face fell.

"Why didn't you say that?" Cass asked.

"It's no big deal Aunt Cass we're fine," Hiro insisted. Tadashi grunted in agreement.

"I worry about you two," Cass sighed, but she let it go. Cass went back to the café and returned with scones. "Just made them fresh," she miled.

"You're the best," Tadashi smiled. Cass smiled and left the boys to work. "Dude, BotFighter Weekly?" Tadashi smirked. "What are you twelve?"

"No way! You got in," Hiro beamed at Tadashi. "That is sick. You have to show me how you did it!"

"How about no. We both know you would use this power for evil," Tadashi snickered.

"Did you do it or did your code work?" Hiro asked.

"The code," Tadashi smiled. "I might actually have it ready for the winter showcase."

"That's only two months away," Hiro said skeptically.

"Well we've gat half a week of school and then winter break. I can work on it then. Especially since I don't have any finals for this semester," Tadashi said. Hiro groaned.

"Can't you just take my finals for me or something?" Hiro whined. Tadashi laughed.

"Not for all the tea in China," Tadashi smirked.

That afternoon, Fred and Honey showed up at the Café intending to drag the Hamadas downtown to listen to the street musicians and do a little shopping. The boys were still entrenched in their projects in the kitchen. "Christmas is coming up," Honey insisted.

"I guess that means we should probably change out of our pajamas," Tadashi sighed.

"I don't care," Fred shrugged. The others stared at him.

"Give us 10 minutes," Tadashi sighed. Ten minutes later, Tadashi and Hiro were back downstairs. "Did you even brush your hair?" Tadashi teased Hiro. Hiro stuck his tongue out at Tadashi the others laughed.

"So where are GoGo and Wasabi?" Tadashi asked.

"GoGo's demoing her bikes and Wasabi's got a meeting with a company that wants to use his lasers in the manufacturing plant," Honey explained.

"Why didn't Wasabi tell us about that?!" Tadashi asked.

"They called him last night. Apparently they're from Australia and the executives are only in San Fransokyo for the day," Honey explained.

"Wasabi's probably regretting staying for one more movie," Hiro muttered.

"We weren't out that late," Fred rolled his eyes. Honey didn't say anything, but it was obvious the Hamadas were exhausted. "So no Baymax today?" Fred asked.

"He's helping Aunt Cass," Hiro shrugged. "Tadashi taught him how to make coffees and now Aunt Cass thinks he's her new barista."

The walk downtown was nice. The sun was bright, burning the last of the fog off of the bay. The air was cool enough that you could wear a jacket and not be hot, but not so cold you needed a jacket. It was still early enough that the streets, while busy, were not crowded. The four friends laughed and joked the whole way. They made an odd little group. Fred was wearing his usual cargo pants and t-shirt. Honey was in pink skirt with a cream blouse with a small backpack slung over her shoulder. Tadashi was wearing his SFIT Ninja's shirt. Hiro was in wearing a too big SFIT sweatshirt. Tadashi was quieter than the others, focused on going downhill in a controlled manner. He thanked Aunt Cass for the millionth time for getting him the gloves. Without them, his hands would have been raw, wheel burned before the gang got anywhere near the market. Tadashi decided not to worry about going back uphill. They could catch a bus or something. Down along the water front, an outdoor market was set up. There were more people here. Vendors sold everything under the sun from flowers to fresh fish. The smell of cooking food wafted through the air and music trembled on the breeze. Honey started walking faster. The crowd got thicker. Tadashi slowed down, looking around at the vendors on both sides of the walk. It was a wall of fresh cut flowers. Every kind and every color. Tadashi smiled. He'd forgotten how much he loved this place. Tadashi realized he'd been cut off from the other three. It wasn't a big deal. He knew where they were headed. Tadashi made his way out of the crush of people and skirted the edges of the crowd until he could see the violinist everyone was crowding. Tadashi paused. The kid was good, really good. He was playing some kind of upbeat Celtic dance. Honey had drug Fred and Hiro to the front of the crowd. Hiro was looking around frantically. Tadashi pulled out his phone and texted Hiro, "Look to your left." He saw Hiro pull his phone out. Tadashi smiled when Hiro relaxed. Hiro scanned the crowd and gave Tadashi a little wave when he saw him. That taken care of, Tadashi watched the violinist. He was in his late teens, probably a high school student, but he was clearly not a novice. The kid was a descent showman. He twirled and danced as he played, prompting his audience to sway and clap along to the tune. Honey started dancing. Hiro stepped out of the way. Fred was not nearly as quick. Honey grabbed his hands. A circle formed around them. The player stomped his foot and the crowd started to clap. Tadashi grinned. Honey was a good dancer. She'd been on the dance team through high school. She twirled Fred in circles, leading him through a simple, but fast jig. Hiro had his phone out videoing them. Tadashi clapped along with the rest of the crowd. Fred stumbled at first, but he caught on quick. Step, step, and spin. The song ended and everyone cheered. Fred blushed and Honey laughed, breathless. She dropped some money in the violinist's case and made her way to Tadashi. Fred and Hiro followed. Behind them others were adding to the violinist's case.

"Sorry we got separated," Honey apologized. "I love that song." Tadashi laughed. Honey led the way to the next corner where you could always find a street musician. This time the gang surrounded Tadashi, making sure he didn't get left behind. This corner had an older man with a guitar singing country. Honey stayed to watch, but Hiro and Tadashi drifted towards the stalls. One of them was selling kaleidoscopes. Hiro picked up a triangular tube. It was made of blue stained glass. Each piece was a different shade of blue. The leading between the pieces was shiny silver.

"You're supposed to look in the end," Tadashi teased. Hiro put the kaleidoscope to him eye and squinted. "You've got to point the end at the light and turn it," Tadashi said. Hiro shifted to the end pointed towards the sun and rolled the kaleidoscope in his hands.

"Wow," Hiro breathed. He handed the kaleidoscope to Tadashi. Tadashi pointed it at the light and smiled. The outside was blue, but inside it was a starburst of vibrant reds and oranges. Streaks of yellow and pink passed through cut the color. Occasionally a wisp of glue or green crept in.

"It's really pretty," Tadashi smiled.

"We should get it for Aunt Cass," Hiro said suddenly. "She loves stuff like this."

"That's a good idea. Want to look at any others?" Tadashi agreed. Hiro picked the others off the tabl one by one and tried them all. The vendor was splitting his gut laughing at Hiro's excitement. When he found one he liked, he'd pass it to Tadashi to try. In the end, Tadashi dug his wallet out of his pocket and paid the man for the blue one. The man wrapped it in bubble wrap and newspaper and passed it to the Hamadas. Honey and Fred appeared to see it the brothers were ready to move on. Honey was caring a pink tulip. No one said anything but when Honey and Hiro were distracted, Tadashi gave Fred a thumbs up. The next corner was a real treat. A saxophone, keyboard, and upright base were jamming out. Big Band Swing Standards filled the air. Tadashi smiled. Honey tucked the tulip in her backpack so the bloom pocked out he top. This was the kind of music that belonged on a street corner in Old Town San Fransokyo Market. This time Honey grabbed Hiro. Tadashi pulled out his phone and hit record. He was saving this forever. Tadashi fought not to laugh as Honey spun a flustered Hiro around on the side walk. He didn't want the video to be too shaky. Someone whistled and Hiro turned a lovely shade of pink. The song shifted into a saxophone solo. Tadashi swayed to the base line and Fred bobbed his head. When the song was over, Hiro practically ran. Honey stayed to drop some money in the tin and talk to the bassist.

"That was horrifying!" Hiro hissed to Tadashi. His face was bright red.

"Lighten up little brother. Some people come for the shopping, Honey comes for the music. Relax, it's all in fun," Tadashi teased.

"Has she made you do dance in front of all these people?" Hiro asked.

"Yeah and Wasabi and GoGo too. It really is fun. No one's ever going to look at you and be like 'Hey that's the kid who was dancing in the market that one time,'" Tadashi replied. Hiro sighed. Tadashi shoved a dollar at Hiro. "Go buy Honey a flower," Tadashi ordered. Hiro blinked in surprise, but did as he was told. He returned with a big yellow daffodil. Hiro handed the flower to Honey and blushed when she hugged him. She led the way through the market, the tulip and daffodil peeking out of her backpack.

"So what's the deal with the flowers?" Hiro asked Tadashi.

"The first time we all came here together it was Honey's birthday. She didn't tell us that. She just showed up at our houses and drug us down here. When we found out that it was her birthday, we all felt awful. She had this big freak out over all the flowers, but wouldn't buy any. Honey doesn't like to 'waste' money on herself," Tadashi put air quotes around the word waste. "So we bought her a different flower every time we passed a different vendor and it just kind of turned into this running joke. The flowers usually turn up in the lab by the coffee maker or something," Tadashi explained.

"Oh," was all Hiro said. That explained the flowers Honey had brought to the hospital for Tadashi. Hiro had always wondered why they were such an odd mix, not really matching, but pretty all the same. They'd been picked one by one by different people. The

four wandered around for a couple hours. Fred insisted on stopping at a comic book shop. When they got tired, they bought food from several vendors and shared it. Honey got Fred and Hiro to dance a couple more times. At the far end of the market, Honey's favorite musician was back. The little old man played the fiddle like no one else. He put the boy at the beginning to shame. From Jazz to jigs to waltzes the man played it all. Honey made Hiro and Fred dance with her while he played. While they were busy, Tadashi slipped over to a flower vendor. He was going to buy a yellow tulip with orange stripes, but the white rose was too pretty to pass up. It was just beginning to open and every petal was perfect. The fiddler had finished another song. Fred and Hiro were distracted by a man drawing caricatures. Honey walked over to Tadashi. He held the rose out to her without a word. Honey leaned down and hugged him.

"Sorry I can't dance," Tadashi whispered. Honey pulled away and frowned at Tadashi, then a slow smile spread over her face.

"Come on," she ordered.

"Honey?" Tadashi frowned.

"Either you follow me or I push you over there," she glared. Tadashi shook his head, but followed her back towards the fiddler. He was finishing a fast paced jig. There weren't nearly as many people on this end of the market. Honey marched right up to the fiddler and started talking to him. Tadashi had a sinking feeling he knew exactly what she was asking the man. Honey marched back to Tadashi and grinned. "I asked him to play something slow," Honey smiled.

"Honey, I can't," Tadashi protested. The first notes of a waltz drifted through the air. Honey grabbed Tadashi's hands and pulled him in small circle, following the step pattern of the waltz. The electro mag wheels glided smoothly. It was an easy motion. Tadashi could feel people staring at him.

At the caricature stall, Fred elbowed Hiro and pointed. Hiro stared for a second and then pulled out his phone.

Tadashi blushed, but Honey was determined. Tadashi forced himself to take a deep breath and follow the advice he'd given Hiro earlier. He felt the beat and did his best to work with Honey, pushing and pulling against her grip. When the song ended, people cheered. Tadashi ducked his head in embarrassment, but he couldn't hide the smile. Hiro tucked his phone away. He wasn't going tease Tadashi about his one. He wasn't even going to tell Tadashi he took the video.

Honey dropped another couple dollars in the fiddler's case and hugged the man. The old man watched the tall pretty girl walk away with her friends and he smiled. Tadashi had told Hiro that no one would remember the face of a random street dancer, but he was wrong. The fiddler knew Honey and he knew Honey's friends. She used to bring them to the market pretty regularly. The last two times she'd come one had been missing, the tall boy with an easy smile girls loved to fawn over. The tall girl hadn't danced then. She carried a bouquet of flowers, but her eyes were full of sadness. The boy had changed, but the fiddler recognized him in the wheelchair. The fiddler wiped his eyes and started another song. He'd go home that night and tell his wife about the dancing girl and her friends.

The foursome made it to the bus stop just in time. Tadashi was grateful. His arms were aching. Literally everything was uphill from the market. When the bus stopped near the café Tadashi leaned towards Honey and whispered, "That was totally mortifying, but thanks. It meant a lot." Honey smiled. The bus lurched to a stop and the driver put down the ramp for Tadashi. The Hamadas got off and the bus went on its way. Inside, Cass was getting dinner ready.

*Note: Look up wheelchair dancing. This is the most amazing thing I have ever seen. It's so elegant!

Here's kind of a little documentary on it (it's only 6 minutes):

watch?v=kh09Rn2JsJM

And here's a video of people doing it competitively (5 minutes in is what I was looking at thinking about Honey and Tadashi):

watch?v=aDmY9RkHIFc

*Note: Not totally sure who I ship with who so I'm not going to send anyone on dates right now…


	29. Chapter 29

They arrived back at the cafe after 4PM. When Cass asked, Tadashi said it was, "Nice to get out and just hang out with friends again." Then he had Baymax carry him upstairs to work on his program. Hiro hung back in the café. As soon as Tadashi was out of ear shot, Hiro pulled out his phone and told Cass all about dancing with Honey and the flowers. Then he showed her the video. Cass watched Tadashi and Honey dance. Her eyes filled with tears and a smile spread across her face.

"You can't tell Tadashi I took a video," Hiro said while Aunt Cass wiped her eyes.

"Alright. It will be our little secret," she nodded.

"He's getting better," Hiro remarked.

"He's not the only one," Cass smiled, ruffling Hiro's hair. Hiro snorted and headed upstairs. His bot was calling him.

"Shouldn't you be studying?" Tadashi asked from the couch. Hiro was back at the kitchen table.

Hiro grunted. "Too busy." He was bent of his robot, trying to make the scanner fit inside the compact body.

"You'll regret that when the professors start handing out test booklets," Tadashi warned. Hiro sighed, but pushed his bot aside and reached for his textbook.

Hiro studied and Tadashi watched re-runs on the TV. When Aunt Cass came upstairs, Tadashi went to help her finish dinner. Afterwards, Tadashi parked himself beside Hiro and started running through the test prep stuff with his little brother. Cass smiled. All the technical stuff went over her head, but it was good to see the boys acting so normal. Cass called it a night around ten. She left the boys with instructions not to stay up too late. Hiro and Tadashi were both drooping. Hiro's head bobbed over his textbook and Tadashi's jaw ached from yawning. But neither of them really wanted to go sleep. With night looming outside and the dark creeping in, the nightmares felt fresh and real. After a solid five minutes of staring at each other without seeing anything, just fighting to keep their eye open, Baymax intervened. "You both require sleep," Baymax lectured. Tadashi blinked at the robot and then nodded. He didn't resist when Baymax picked him up. He was too tired to fight it. Hiro trailed after the other two. His tired feet stumbled on the steps. In the loft, Baymax set Tadashi on the bad and passed him a pair of pajamas. Hiro changed quickly, shivering as the cool air brushed his skin.

Tadashi smiled tiredly when Hiro appeared in the gap in the divider. "Do you mind?" Hiro yawned.

"I'm the one who screams," Tadashi shrugged. Hiro didn't say anything, just climbed into bed beside Tadashi. He pressed his forehead against Tadashi chest and was asleep almost instantly. Baymax turned off the lights and went to check on the boys one last time. "You going to join the party?" Tadashi mumbled to the robot. Baymax lay down beside his patients and turned on his heater. His scan showed an increased heartrate and a hormonal shift associated with fear in Tadashi. Baymax intended to do whatever he could to help with the nightmares. When Tadashi drifted off into sleeps dark embrace, Baymax and Hiro kept him grounded. Their presence wove itself through his dreams, reminding him that he was not burning. Baymax's soft form was not the crushing weight of a ceiling beam.

Tadashi's cellphone rang at 1:15 AM. Tadashi jerked awake and found himself pinned between Hiro and Baymax. The phone buzzed and flashed on the nightstand. Tadashi groped for it, trying to reach over Hiro. Hiro moaned and grabbed the phone. He thrust it at Tadashi and buried his face in the pillow. Tadashi answered the phone.

"Hello?" Tadasi mumbled.

"We need to talk," Risa's voice cut through the fog of sleep around Tadashi's mind.

"What?' Tadashi frowned.

"We need to talk. In person," Risa repeated.

"Can it wait until morning?" Tadashi groaned.

"What time is it?" Risa asked.

"1:15," Tadashi groaned, running a hand over his face.

"Shit. I thought it wasn't 11 yet," Risa apologized. "The clock in the comp lab is off." Tadashi snorted.

"It's okay. Can whatever we need to talk about wait until tomorrow?" Tadashi said.

"Yeah," Risa sighed. "Sorry."

"No big deal. Where do you want to meet?" Tadashi asked.

"I'll text you an address," Risa replied. "Go back to bed, Hamada. Sorry I woke you up."

"Who says I was asleep?" Tadashi muttered.

"You sound either dead tired or high and I'm taking a guess and going with the first one based on your personality," Risa replied. Tadashi chuckled.

"You got me. I may have not slept for a week or so," Tadashi said.

"Sorry," Risa appoligized again. Tadashi could practically see her wince.

"It's fine. I'll see you tomorrow," Tadashi told her.

"Right," Risa agreed. They hung up and a minute later Tadashi's phone vibrated to inform him it had received a text message. Tadashi shut the phone off without looking and relaxed back into the pillow.

"Your stupid girlfriend needs a watch," Hiro groaned.

"She is not my girlfriend by any stretch of the word and she probably has a lot of watches, but she's just like you so I'm sure she uses them for parts," Tadashi replied. Hiro snickered at that. Tadashi was speaking from experience. "Any nightmares yet?" Tadashi asked sleepily.

"Not yet Hiro lied," he was actually grateful for Risa's call. He had to keep forcing himself awake to check on Tadashi- make sure he was real.

"You still a terrible liar," Tadashi sighed. He ran his fingers through Hiro's hair and draped another arm over the small of Hiro's back. Hiro sighed and relaxed at the touch. "Try to get some sleep," Tadashi ordered. Hiro mumbled something incoherent into the pillow and pulled the blankets up higher around his neck. The Hamada's drifted back to sleep.


	30. Chapter 30

Tadashi left Hiro asleep in the bed. He got ready quietly and went to meet Risa. Baymax insisted in coming with him. Tadashi waved to Aunt Cass as he left. She was up making coffee and chatting with the regulars. Outside the streets were quiet. Fog from the bay drifted through the air, pushed by a gentle breeze, caressing Tadashi's face. The address Risa had sent him was below the college. Tall, narrow apartments were sandwiched together in a colorful rainbow. Risa's was a cheery buttery yellow. Her neighbors' were pink and blue. Tadashi stared at the steps leading from the sidewalk to the door and groaned. He glanced up and down the street making sure no one was around before signaling for Baymax to carry him up the steps. Tadashi rang the doorbell and waited. "Sorry I'm late," Risa apologized walking up the steps behind them. She unlocked the door and led Tadashi and Baymax inside. Tadashi stared. Risa's hair was in its usual pigtails and she was carrying her black school backpack, but the rest of her outfit was different to say the least. A pair of steampunk esque goggles rested on the top of her head. She was wearing dark eyeliner and dark purple lipstick. A black mesh shirt was topped with a black, studded leather vest. Cut off shorts were layer over purple and black striped tights. She should have looked intimidating, instead she just looked tired. The left sleeve of her shirt was torn and her arm scraped up. Risa hit the light switch and Tadashi could see the shadow of bruise forming on her right cheek. Baymax closed the door behind them. "We can talk in the kitchen," Risa said. Tadashi and Baymax followed her passed a stair case and formal looking sitting room. The kitchen filled the back of the house. It was more of what Tadashi would have expected of Risa than the prim and proper house. The kitchen doubled as her work area. A soldering iron shared the counter with a blender and the spice rack held bottles of tiny screws in addition to cinnamon. Everything other than the kitchen table was organized. The table was a mess of robot parts and tools. It reminded Tadashi of Hiro's various work spaces. Risa shoved the robot mess to one end of the table and pushed a chair out of the way so Tadashi could sit. Baymax wandered around the kitchen looking at her different projects. There were several battle bots sitting on the counter. "Just a second," Risa apologized. She pulled the remains of a robot out of her backpack and set them on the counter. The bot had been cut into three pieces. Baymax gently picke dup one of the bots and turned it over in his hands. "Sorry, they can't talk to you," Risa apologized. "I'm not a genius like Hiro and Tadashi," she told Baymax. Baymax sat the robot down.

"You are injured. Would you allow me to help you?" Baymax asked. Risa blinked in surprise.

"I'm fine. Thanks for asking though," Risa smiled. She pulled up a chair beside Tadashi and reached in her pocket. She set the chip he'd given her on the table. It was boken into four pieces and the writing on it was smeared. "I soaked it in water so there is absolultey no way the data is recoverable," she told Tadashi. He frowned.

"Why?" Tadashi asked.

"I take it you didn't realize this isn't just Baymax's programming. This chip had his memories on it too. Everything he's done and experienced," Risa said. Her eyes were locked on Tadashi's. Tadashi felt his heart skip a beat. "Like flying as a treatment for depression and how a group of college students turned into San Fran's resident superheroes." Tadashi swallowed.

"What are you going to do with this information?" Tadashi asked.

"Nothing," Risa sighed. She pushed the pieces of the chip towards Tadashi. "I wanted you to see that I'd destroyed the chip. You locked the file so I couldn't copy or edit it. I literally have no evidence," she explained. "I don't want you to worry, but I wanted you to be aware of what's actually on this chip." Tadashi searched her face, searching for any sign that she was lying or withholding the truth. All he saw was exhaustion.

"What happened to you?" Tadashi asked at last. Her check was swelling. In the time he'd been there the bruise had darkened noticeably.

"I went bot fighting and someone was a sore loser," Risa shrugged. "They cornered me outside the building and roughed me up a bit. The bouncers heard me scream and chased them off. They broke my bot, took my money, and made me look like an easy target," Risa sighed. "I need to get a real job and get out of this crap," she muttered.

"I feel like that shouldn't be that hard for programming genius," Tadashi replied.

"I can't exactly put any of my programming experience on a resume," Risa snorted and then clutched her side. Baymax approached quickly.

"You have a fractured rib. You require medical attention," Baymax insisted.

"I'm fine. Believe it or not this is not a first," Risa gasped. The robot frowned. She tooka couple shallow breaths and sat back up. "I know that there are plenty of bad people in the city who would pay me for your names with or without evidence. I know you don't trust me. You have no reason to, but you were trying to do something nice for me and I'm not going to repay that by getting you guys into trouble," she told Tadashi. Risa pulled another chip out of her pocket and set it deside the destroyed copy of Baymax's chip. "I finished my antivirus. I installed it on the school system last night after I called you. Mack even checked it for me. I've had some hacker friends testing it all night. None f them can get through it and I couldn't break it after I activated it," Risa said. She smiled slightly and there was pride in her voice. "I put it on the chip. You should install it on Baymax and your suits. They're all vulnerable to virus same as any computer," Risa said. Tadashi frowned, but picked up both chips.

"You should get some rest and patch yourself up," Tadashi ordered.

"Yes, Mom," Risa shook his head. He wasn't in the mood to joke.

"Are you sure you will not let me assist you?" Baymax asked.

"Thanks big guy. I'm really alright," Risa insisted. "I can show you out," Risa offered. She saw Tadashi eyeing the door. "There's no need," Tadashi assured her. "I'll see you in class Monday." Risa nodded.

"I was really skeptical when you first told me Baymax had a personality and emotions, but there's no doubt in my mind after reading his coding," Risa said softly. "You did something really amazing, Hamada. If you ever need a hacker, you've got my number."

Tadashi nodded and led Baymax down the hall to the front door. Baymax had to carry him down the steps. Tadashi was too lost in thought to worry about the passerbys who pointed and stared at him and Baymax. As far as Tadashi was concerned, he'd screwed up big time. He needed to tell the team and figure out how they were going to handle this.

"I did not detect any signs of deceit or malisous intend in Risa," Baymax told Tadashi. "Her heart rate remained consistant as did her breathing until she jarred her ribs."

"Doesn't matter buddy," Tadashi sighed. "She knows our secret and that makes her a risk. She might not intend to sell us out, but looking at the crowd she's involved with I have to wonder if she'd trade the information so save herself a beating or pay off a debt."

"I do not think so. Risa wants to help people," Baymax argued.

"I don't know," Tadashi sighed. He was not looking forward to sharing this with the rest of the team.


	31. Chapter 31

The gang met around the Hamadas' kitchen table. Cass was downstairs in the café.

"I'm sorry guys. I screwed up," Tadashi sighed.

"It sounds like Risa doesn't want to get us in trouble," Honey offered.

"It might be nice to have a hacker on speed dial," GoGo added. "But I'm not saying we should stick her in a suit and let her in on all the plans."

"It's not like we can wipe her memory," Wasabi rolled his eyes. "We'll just have to make the best of this."

"Unless we can!" Fred grinned.

"Not science," Wasabi snapped.

"What do you think?" Honey asked turning to Hiro. He'd been silent through the conversation.

"I think Risa's not a threat right now," Hiro said carefully. "She could be, but I don't think she wants to be. It sounds like she went a long way to show you she wasn't planning on doing anything with the information."

"So we just don't worry," Honey suggested. The others nodded.

"I don't want to put that chip of hers in anything yet. I'd like it to be tested more," Hiro said.

"Agreed," Tadashi nodded.

Monday, Risa sat down next to Tadashi. She had a nasty black eye and her arm was wrapped in Ace Bandages. She nodded to Tadashi, but didn't say anything. They worked in silence through class. Tadashi had a lot of time to himself in the lab. The others were swamped in finals. He worked on his program. Hiro was putting long hours into studying. The Hamadas headed home on the last bus of the night. Tadashi did his best to help his little brother, appearing with coffee just as Hiro was beginning to think of searching for a refill or handing Hiro a packet of notes from Tadashi's freshman year. All the class Hiro had missed while Tadashi was in the hospital was showing. Tadashi finished his code Monday night while Hiro fought his way through Vectors homework. He celebrated by hijacking Hiro's iPod and making it play motivational songs. Hiro nearly fell off his chair when it suddenly started blasting "Eye of the Tiger."

Hiro finished his last test on Wednesday at 1 o'clock. Tadashi was waiting outside for him. A cool wind was blowing off the bay, a sign of the coming storm. Tadashi pulled his red windbreaker tighter around his neck. Hiro ran down the steps whooping. "I'm done!" Hiro screeched. He smammed into Tadashi and wrapped him in a hug. Tadashi chuckled.

"Then lets go get lunch," Tadashi grinned. The little Japanese restraunt was mostly empty. Hiro ordered a ridiculous amount of food and worked his way through three tall glasses of Mountain Dew. "You are going to be so hyper," Tadashi said shaking his head.

"I'm running on a forty minute nap. I need all the caffine I can get," Hiro shrugged. Outside it started to rain, a steady drizzle. Inside the Hamada brothers laughed and joked, planning their weeks off. "We should go to the market again," Hiro suggested. "With the whole gang this time."

"Thought you weren't a fan of dancing in public," Tadashi teased. Hiro blushed.

"It was embarrassing, but actually really nice," Hiro admitted. The flowers had appeared in the lab next to the coffee maker in a tall, slender vace.

"Yeah," Tadashi smiled in agreement. That's when the power went out.

"Uh oh," Hiro muttered. Tadashi's phone started ringing. It was Fred.

"Hey Fred," Tadashi answered.

"Suit up. There's a guy in a mask attacking the grid," Fred ordered.

"On it," Tadashi replied.

"I'll call the others. They should be getting out any minute," Fred said.

"Alright. Meet you there," Tadashi agreed. He hung up and turned to Hiro.

"Someone's attacking the grid," Tadashi explained. He left money on the table and followed hiro back to the lab. In their office, behind frosted glass the boys suited up. Baymax stepped off the charger and retrieved his armor.

"Why would someone attack the grid?" Hiro mused. THe grid was the control center for the city's power and communication network. Everything from internet to electricity was routed through there. It was the command center for the monorails and the aerial turbines. "There's so many fail safes they wouldn't be able to get to the control center," Hiro frowned.

"Maybe," Tadashi muttered. The power outage was not a good sign, although the lights were still on at SFIT.

He remembered Risa's justification for her antivirus, "No one's tired yet, but it's only a matter of time before there's a cyber-attack. The grid's protected, but not well enough."

"Ready?" Hiro asked. Tadashi pulled on his helmet and stood up.

"When you are," Tadashi nodded. He and Baymax followed Hiro out the window. Hiro climbed aboard Baymax. The Hamadas were airborne in minutes. Flying was made challenging by the wind and the rain. Tadashi was grateful for the enclosed helmet.

"Who all is geared up?" Fred's voice came through the helmet.

"The Hamadas are up in the air," Hiro announced.

"Honey and I are almost ready," GoGo replied. "Public bathrooms are not so fun to change in."

"I'm in route," Wasabi added. "Caught a ride on one of the monorails."

"Meet in five?" Tadashi suggested. The others agreed.

The grid was a long, low modern building all white walls and steel. The reception area had windows, but the rest of the building was locked up tight. Or it should have been. Tadashi knew the instant he saw the building that this wasn't good. Every door and window in the place was open. Hatches in the roof, used to lower in the big equipment and then sealed, gaped open. "This isn't good," Tadashi muttered. Below, he saw Fred and GoGo coming in fast. Wasabi and Honey weren't far behind. "Anybody got a plan?" Tadashi asked. "Or are we just going to go in hot?"

"Leaping into action!" Fred replied. He dropped through one of the open roof hatches before anyone had a chance to suggest a different approach. THe instant Fred dropped through the hatch the rest of the gang lost contact with him.

"FRED!" Tadashi and Hone yelled. There was no response.

"Fred needs backup. We're going in hot," GoGo replied. Honey used a cheisphere to launch them onto the roof. Baymax swooped down and lifted up Wasabi. The girls dropped through the opening and Tadashi followed Baymax down into the building. The instant Tadashi crossed into the building things went bad. He was falling. The thrusters failed and he the neuralcranial transmitter stopped responding. He hit the ground hard. Baymax reacted the same. Hiro rolled away from the crashed robot. The magnets holding him to Bmax had given out. A man was standing at the control panel. He glanced over his shoulder at the heroes and snorted.

"I wondered when you'd be showing up. Honestly you lot are clearly noobs. Look at you charging in head first. It's so pathetic it's kind of cute," he sneered. Tadashi clenched his fists. The guy didn't sound any older than them. His face was covered by a plane silver mask. He had short cropped blonde hair and was tall and slender. A black leather jacket and black ripped black jeans made Tadashi think more of a BotFighter than a supervillain. "Give me one moment to finish up here and then I'll be with you," he said casually. Tadashi struggled to move. All he could do was look around, helpless at the rest of the team. Baymax was on his back with his legs pumping in the empty air. The robot made no move to right himself. Wasabi was pinned under Baymax. Fred was trying to struggle out of his suit. GoGo stared at her electromag wheels. The power to the electromagnets had been cut. They lay on the floor beside her. Honey's purse wouldn't dispense chemispheres. This was really bad. Hiro struggled to his feet. He was bruised and moving his wrist made him want to cry out. It felt broken. The man in the silver mask turned away from the control panel and faced the team. "Alrighty then," he clapped his hands together. "Which one of you is the genius roboticist who built these suits?" he asked. None of the team responded. "So you're going to make me guess. That's disappointing. You see we could really help each other." Still no response from the heroes. "I get it. You're shy. I'll introduce myself first," the man said. "You can call me Hack. I'm kind of a computer genius. I like to write viruses and I have issues with authority," his voice was light and conversational.

"What do you want?" GoGo snarled. Hack stared at her.

"Of course the speedester would be the first to speak," he sneered. "I just uploaded a supervirus onto San Fransokyo's control center. It's spreading itself through the entire system as we speak. I am effectively taking the city hostage," Hack explained.

"That doesn't answer the question," Hiro said. Tadashi wanted to scream at his little brother to be quiet.

"I suppose it doesn't. I guess I'm just not a nice guy. There's a lot of people in this city that I don't like, so I'm going to make them all suffer. Plus, I've always wanted to rule a city and what better place for a technological genius like me than good old San Fran?" Hack shrugged. "And that brings me back to you lot. I really could use a robotics guru on my team. I'm willing to offer you all positions in my new world order if you agree to help me," Hack explained.

"You're nuts," Hiro snapped. "We're going to kick your bu-" Hiro was cut off mid sentence. Hack snickered.

"What a little loud mouth," he remarked. "How are you going to stop me when your suits are all infected with my virus? You're nothing without those suits. Last chance to sign on board… No takers alright then. I'll tech the little techy and be on my way," Hack shrugged. He walked towards Hiro and Tadashi froze.

"It's not him," Tadashi yelled. "I designed the suits." Hack paused and looked at Tadashi.

"I'm guessing the little dude's your brother or something right? What a good brother you are, trying to protect him. I know youre not the inventor. You're too new. The suits are clearly designed to agument the wearer's ability and this little purple pest is the only one who doesn't have a power of his own. He relies on the big robot. That's such a typical genius, hiding behind his invention," Hack shook his head. Hiro tried to struggle, but he was trapped by the suit. Hack scooped Hiro up and slung him over his shoulders in the fireman's carry. Honey and GoGo charged Hack. Fred stepped in front of them and fired at his friends. They bareley managed to dodge the blast. Tadashi could hear Fred stcreaming for them to run. "Seeya guys," Hack sneered. He gave the m a mock salute. Tadashi ripped of his helmet.

"We're going to find you!" Tadashi snarled. "If you so much as harm a hair on his head, I will kill you."

Hack just laughed and walked away. Fred attacked Honey and GoGo. There was nothing Tadashi could do. He pressed his face into the cold metal floor and let the tears run down his cheeks. He'd failed. He was useless, a burden. Why had he though he could do this? Honey whimpered as Fred's fire seared her arm, but she was finally close enough to wrap him in a bear hug. GoGo ducked under the flamethrower and slammed her fist into the emergency eject button. Fred was flung out the top of the suit and the rest of the outfit collapsed. All three of them sat frozen for a second. There were tears running down Fred's face. He knew how close he'd come to killing his friends. Honey cradled her burned arm. GoGo gasped for air. Her heart was pounding.

"Come on guys. Let's help the others," GoGo muttered. Fred and Honey nodded and followed her first to Baymax. It took all three of them to lift the armored bot enough for Wasabi to wriggle free.

"Take out Baymax's chips," Tadashi ordered. The others blinked at him in surprise, but did as they were told, stuggilng to reach the accesport. Tadashi twisted until he managed to hit the quick release on his suit. "They're the only part of his system the virus can affect and I've got a copy of his heathcare chip," Tadashi fished it out of his jeans's pocket. He'd picke dht second duplicate up from the lab that morning. Honey took the chip and inserted it in the Baymax's port.

"I am unable to move in my armor," Baymax informed the team.

"There should be a quick release on his shoulder," Tadashi said. He'd made a point of studying Hiro's designs after the incident at the bank. Baymax's armor clattered to the floor and the robot was able to stand up. "We need to regroup," Tadashi sighed intot the floor. The others walked over to him. GoGo crouched down beside Tadashi.

"We'll get Hiro back. Baymax's enhanced scanner should be able to pick him up," she assured Tadashi.

"And we'll stop Hack," Fred added.

"How?" Tadashi asked. His voice was full of despare.

"First we need to de-bug the suits. Then Baymax will find Hiro and we'll sneak in and rescue him. Deal with Hack later," GoGo shrugged.

"Risa might be able to help with the de-bugging," Honey suggested. Tadashi sighed. Baymax propped Tadashi against a wall and went to fold up their armor. The ragtag team slogged through the rain back to the Lucky Cat and slipped into the garage. Tadashi didn't even care that he had to be carried by Baymax. Tadashi could hear sirens through the rain. The city was undoubtably in an uproar, but he struggled to care about anything besides the fact that he'd failed Hiro again, left him alone again.


	32. Chapter 32

In the garage, Tadashi sat on the couch and the others gathered around.

"I don't know how to counter a computer virus," Tadashi admitted. He fished his cellphone out of his pocket and stared at it. "Risa's the most logical person to bring in," he sighed.

"Do it," Wasabi said. "If she can help us get Hiro back then she can shout our identities from the rooftop. I don't really care." Tadashi blinked in surprise.

"Life without secret identities would be harder, but the main reason we've been working to keep them secret is Hiro's age," Honey explained.

"Besides I don't think Risa plans on exposing us," GoGo added. Tadashi nodded and dialed Risa's number.

Risa was not having a good day. She was soaked to the bone from the steady rain and she'd hopped on the monorail just to get away from the weather. Now the power was out and the monorail car was stuck several stories above the ground. "Do NOT move," Risa snarled at the other passengers. They froze and stared at the pink haired girl in shock. Risa's mind was working ninety-nine miles an hour. There was supposed to be a failsafe that diverted backup power to keeping the cart magnetically attached to the track, but judging by the way the cart swayed from side to side it wasn't working. There carts were automated. A locked control panel in the front housed the backup generator. She was at the exact opposite end of the cart. "Everybody stay calm and don't move. The backup power didn't kick on. If we move too much we might tip the cart off the track," Risa explained. The cart was crowded, but dead silent. "I'm a computer student at SFIT. I might be able to get the generator going, but I need to get to the control panel. The problem is we need to keep the cart balanced," Risa continued. Every eye in the cart was on her.

"What do we have to do?" a man asked.

"Everyone except the lady in the purple hat needs to stay still and quiet," Risa ordered. She took a deep breath and locked eyes with the older woman in the purple hat. She was closest to the panel and looked about Risa's size. "Ma'am, we are going to walk towards each other and switch places so the car stays balanced," Risa explained. The woman stood up slowly and nodded. Risa wasn't sure how much it would take to tip the cart, so she planned to play it safe. Step by step, Risa and the woman moved together and then apart again. Risa crouched in front of the control panel and pulled her laptop out of her backpack along with a screwdriver. She thanked God that she hadn't emptied all her BotFighting supplies out. Risa unscrewed the front of the control panel and confirmed that the generator was not turned on. Next she connected her laptop to the access port inside the control panel. She assumed the city engineers used this to run diagnostics. A few clicks allowed her to view the code that should have run the backup generator. "It's supposed to be triggered by some part of the coding from the main power source. An outage should send a signal to this backup," she muttered. "But it looks like it never received the signal." Risa thought she could trigger the backup generator. The problem was she didn't know this language. She could see the basic structure of the programming, but lacked the vocabulary necessary to do anything. That's when her phone rang. Risa pulled it out of her pocket and answered.

"I'm kind of busy at the moment, Mom," Risa snapped.

"It's Tadashi," Tadashi replied.

"I know who it is," Risa hissed. "I'm stuck in a monorail five stories off the ground with a backup generator that's not running. I don't have time to talk right now."

"Can you get the generator running?" Tadashi asked.

"Can you get your butt over here and fly us out?" Risa asked back.

"No. Suits are out of commission. There's been a cyber-attack and they've got a virus inside," Tadashi explained.

"Shit," Risa muttered. "That explains why the backup generator never turned on. Virus probably blocked the main system from sending the signal to turn on."

"Can't you hack the generator and turn it on?" Tadashi asked.

"I'm trying, but it's not in a language I know," Risa whispered. Her voice wavered ever so slightly. "There's a lot of people in here with me."

"I'm sending you a program. Use it to hack the generator," Tadashi said.

"You got your universal remote to work?" Risa frowned.

"Yeah. I haven't tested it a lot, but it's worked so far. I have to hang up to send it," Tadashi replied.

"Okay. Do it," Risa said. Tadashi hug up motioned for Honey to pass him the laptop on the desk.

"What's wrong?" Honey frowned as she passed the computer to Tadashi.

"Risa's in one of the monorails. I'm thinking before it goes into the fifth street sky tunnel. The backup generator wasn't triggered because of the virus. I'm sending her a code that will let her hack it," Tadashi explained. He plugged the phone into the laptop and copied the code onto it. Then he texted it to Risa.

A gust of wind had everyone in the cart scrambling for a hand hold. "DON'T move!" Risa screamed. For the most part she was ignored. The cart swayed and shifted, but stayed on the track. Risa's phone dinging and she went to work ripping the code out of the text and transferring it to her laptop. Risa ran Tadashi's program. She ignored the basic interface Tadashi had designed and switched to straight programming mode. She entered the command for run into the program in Java language. Tadashi's software did the rest. The generator purred to life. Risa felt the magnetic wheels lock onto the track and flopped back on the floor. The cart cheered. Risa wiped the tears out of her eyes and called Tadashi back. "Well we aren't going to fall off the track," she said when he answered. She was trying to sound nonchalant, but her voice was too husky. "My turn to help you. What's the deal with the suits?" Risa asked.

"They've been infected with the same virus as the grid," Tadashi explained. "I think it's spread through the Wi-Fi," he added.

"Makes sense. The generator isn't connected to the Wi-Fi. A short range signal turns it on. And the cellphone towers aren't part of the city grid which is why they still work. My laptop's not infected because I haven't connected it to any internet since I left school," Risa agreed.

"How do I get rid of a computer virus?" Tadashi asked. He put Risa on speaker.

"Turn the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth in the suits off. I'm guessing the virus is a mutating one, kind of like my project. Isolating it will slow down its mutating. Then put my antivirus on the suits one by one. It might take a bit, but it should neutralize the virus," Risa instructed.

"How do you know?" Wasabi asked.

"Because I can see the lights on at SFIT which is the only place I've installed my antivirus," Risa replied without missing a beat. "The fire department just arrived. They're going to get us out of here. Call me back if it doesn't work," she added.

"What are you going to do?" Tadashi asked.

"There's a hell of a storm due to hit tonight. The city needs power. I might not be able to get the whole system back, but I'm going to see about freeing the power back up," Risa said.

"Be careful," Tadashi ordered.

"Back at you , Mom," Risa replied. The phone clicked in Tadashi's ear.

"Let's do this," Tadashi said to the gang. Hiro was waiting.


	33. Chapter 33

It took the team forever to find where they could turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on their suits and even longer to figure out where they could put in the antivirus chip. Tadashi ran his hands over his and Baymax's armor searching for the buttons and the access ports. Honey put Baymax's original chips back in and he immediately dropped to the floor, useless. She then added Risa's chip. Honey found the access port on her bag and a separate one on her helmet. The Wi-Fi and Bluetooth were in her helmet. She showed Wasabi where they were on her helmet and found them in a similar place on his. The laser gauntlets didn't have an access port or anything. They were controlled wirelessly from the helmet. GoGo's access port was over her left hip. Baymax's armor was accessed at his shoulder. Tadashi had a feeling it was there so his pilot could reach it while in flight. Tadashi's was all in his helmet beside the transmitter. Fred had to climb back in his deactivated suit to find the access port. That made everyone nervous. They were working away when Baymax suddenly sat up.

"You need to see this," he said.

"Hey buddy. Welcome back," Fred grinned. Baymax's stomach screen flickered to life. Hack was standing in front of a plain black background.

"Hello San Fransokyo. This is your new Overlord speaking," he said. "In case you missed my first transmission, my name's Hack and I am now in control of the city's electricity and communication. This includes the monorails and aerial wind turbines. If you all do as I say, I might let the lights come on before the storm. Resist and I might just drop a few turbines on houses," Hack laughed. "All you need to do tonight is stay indoors and off the streets. Anyone out after 5 o'clock will be punished. So yeah, that's that. I'd get ready for a night in. You have two hours to be off the streets." The screen went black.

"We're going to get him," Wasabi said. "You done downloading the antivirus?" he asked Baymax.

"Yes," Baymax said, opening the access port. "It is not necessary to leave the chip in. It downloads quite quickly," Baymax added. One by one, they installed Risa's program on their suits. From there it was a waiting game. Baymax treated their various scrapes and bruises. Honey winced as the robot cleaned the burn on her arm and wrapped it gently in gauze. Fred stared at the floor, shame faced.

Honey hugged him and whispered, "It's okay Freddy. It wasn't your fault." Tadashi's phone rang a half hour later.

"Just a heads up, I don't know if you saw Hack's announcement, but he's serious about that curfew he announced," Risa said.

"What do you mean?" Tadashi frowned.

"I just watched a guy trying to get into one of the SFIT buildings get electrocuted by one of the new parking meters. He's okay, but I didn't even realize those things were part of the grid," Risa explained.

"What are you doing at SFIT?" Tadashi asked.

"I need to get to the mainframe and download a virus analysis from the system. I can then use that to make my program more efficient at fighting off the virus," Risa explained. "Plus the way the virus is written can tell us a lot about Hack."

"Don't get yourself killed," Tadashi sighed.

"I was going to tell you the same thing," Risa muttered. "Just wanted to give you a heads up and see if your suits are working yet."

"Baymax is debugged. The others are grinding away," Tadashi said.

"Sweet," Risa replied. "Talk later." With that she hung up.

The rest of the gear was debugged by 4. Tadashi snapped his armor on, glad to not be stuck on the couch anymore. He jammed the helmet on Baymax's head and ordered the bot to find Hiro.

"It appears my enhanced scanner was damaged in the crash," Baymax apologized. He handed the helmet back to Tadashi. Tadashi gripped the helmet tightly. It trembled slightly in his grip.

"You can fix it," Fred smiled. Tadashi didn't reply. "What's wrong?" Fred asked his smile faltering. Tadashi carried the helmet to the desk and undid the panel on the side to expose the scanner's inner workings. They were small and delicate beyond measure. Tadashi swallowed hard.

"I can't fix it," he whispered. Tears burned his eyes and his hand shook.

"What do you mean? Did Hiro change the design that much?" GoGo frowned. Honey didn't say anything. She rested a hand on Tadashi's shoulder.

"Never damage. My hands shake too much to work with stuff this delicate. I'd destroy it," Tadashi explained.

"We'll find some else who can fix it or we'll figure out another way of finding Hiro," Wasabi declared.

"It's not that simple. There's no one in San Fransokyo that can match me and Hiro. I gave up on peer review days because I'd spend the whole time explaining my designs," Tadashi sighed.

"Krei?" Fred suggested.

"Is a businessman not a robotics genius," Tadashi finished. That's when it hit Tadashi. "There is someone who could probably fix the scanner," Tadashi said softly. He clenched his fists without realizing it. "And he owes us."

"So let me get this straight. Your plan is to break into a prison and get out the guy who tried to kill all of us to fix the scanner," Wasabi was skeptical to say the least.

"Callahagn is the only one I can think of who could possible fix the scanner. Abigail says he feel guilty and if doesn't want to help, I won't give him a choice," Tadashi shrugged.

"How do we break in?" GoGo asked, skipping around all the moral issues.

"If my program worked on the monorail, it should work on the tech at the prison. If it doesn't we may need to cut some holes," Tadashi glanced at Wasabi.

"We are so getting arrested when this is all over," Wasabi groaned.

"It's okay. Heathcliff will bail us out," Fred offered. Wasabi just groaned.

"Woman up," GoGo snapped. "We're doing this for Hiro."

"Right," Honey agreed.

It only took Tadashi a few minutes to install his program in his suit. Then the gang took to the sky. Tadashi insisted they fly for safety reasons. The trip to San Fransokyo Correctional Institute was quiet, but everyone was on edge. Night was beginning to fall and the weather was getting worse. Baymax and Tadashi landed just inside the perimeter of the prison. Tadashi walked right up to the inner door and pressed his hand against its keypad. His program went to work. The door opened on quiet hinges. Beneath the helmet, Tadashi smiled grimly. They were in. There was no avoiding the security cameras. Instead, Tadashi sealed the door between the guards' area and the cell blocks. They were banging on the door. Tadashi had no idea how long that would hold them, so the gang hurried. A computer provided Tadashi with directions to Callahagn's cell- second story, cell block A, cell 15. Prisoners jeered and begged as the heroes walked by. Callahagn had a cell to himself. He was stretched out on the bed, trying to read by the dim lights activated by the backup generator. Tadashi used his program to open the door to his cell. Callahagn sat up and scrambled away from the door. A look of fear flashed across his face. Tadashi walked into the cell and stared at the man he'd once admired wholeheartedly. Callahagn looked years older. The lines on his face were deeper. The orange prison closes gave his skin a sickly pale look. "We need your help," Tadashi said. Callahagn blinked in surprise. Tadashi handed him Baymax's helmet. "Fix it." Tadashi ordered. Callahagn turned the helmet over and stared at the workings Tadashi had uncovered. Tadashi began pulling tools out of the bag he'd brought. Callahagn accepted a small screwdriver and used it to further disassemble the helmet.

"I can't," Callahagn looked up from the device. "Some of these pieces are beyond repair," he apologized.

"If you had spare parts, could you fix it?" Tadashi asked- his voice cold and mechanical through the helmet.

"Yes," Callahagn nodded.

"Good. Get up," Tadashi ordered.

"I… I can't leave," Callahagn stammered.

"You don't have a choice. Don't worry. We'll make sure the cameras see that you didn't come on your own accord," Tadasashi sneered. Callahagn didn't have a chance to flinch or shy away before Tadashi's fist connected with his jaw. The older man crumpled to the ground unconscious. Tadashi slung him over his shoulders and started to walk away. "Are you guys going to stand there all day?" Tadashi asked over his shoulder. "He's not hurt and I had to make it look like an authentic kidnapping," Tadashi shrugged. He didn't mention the fact that it felt really good to hit Callahagn and even better to see the fear on the man's face. He'd caused so much hurt that Tadashi didn't feel bad about giving a bit of that back. Tadashi carried Callahagn outside and then used the program to free the guards. The team was airborne before they made it outside.


	34. Chapter 34

Callahagn woke to a pounding in his skull. He blinked several times to clear his vision. It took a minute for him to remember what had happened. He was in what appeared to be a garage converted to a laboratory. His ankles were tied to the legs of a desk. Given time he was sure he could free himself, but he doubted the figure in red armor on the couch would give him a chance. "You should have all the tools you need," Tadashi told his former professor. Callahagn swallowed and looked away from the hero. He hated the reflection in the visor. The semi assembled helmet was lying on the desk along with a set of tools. A small black drone sat next to the rest of the stuff. "There's a scanner in the drone. It lacks the range and it's incomplete, but you should be able to use its parts to fix the one in the helmet. The blue prints are in the top drawer if you need them," Tadashi explained. Callahagn nodded and went to work. First, he took everything apart, evaluating which parts were salvageable and which were not. Next he pulled out the blueprints. There were three. The first was achingly familiar. Callahagn recognized Tadashi's clear, scroll on Baymax's final blueprints. The second blue print was for the armor. The scribbled notes filled margins and were barely legible. It was definitely Hiro's writing. The third blue print was for the drone. Hiro's writing was squeezed in beside another set of handwriting, light and shaky. Callahagn studied the drone's design, comparing it to the helmet. Staring at the handwriting on the drone's blueprint the pieces fell into place. The writing was messy, but recognizable.

"Why can't you fix this?" Callahagn asked. He didn't look at the figure on the couch.

"I can't," came the reply.

"Tadashi?" the name was so soft, Callahagn wondered if the figure had heard.

"Just fix the damn scanner," the hero sighed. He was bent over holding his head in his hands.

"It shouldn't take too long. An hour or two at most. I might have to modify the helmet some, because the parts from the drone aren't all directly compatible," Callahagn explained.

"I know."

Callahagn worked in silence for several minutes.

"Where's Hiro?" Callahagn asked. The figure on the couch flinched.

"I failed. He got kidnapped by Hack. We need the scanner to find him," the figure clenched his fists and Callahagn could hear the despair even through the voice changer.

"I'm sorry," was all Callahagn could think to say. It was his turn to flinch when the armored figure laughed. It was a clod, bitter laugh.

"For what? Do you have any idea what all you've done?" he sneered. Callahagn ducked his head in shame. "Look at me," the figure snarled. Tadashi pulled off his helmet. His dark brown eyes met Callahagns and the older man shuddered. The scars on Tadashi's face made Callahagn flush with shame and the look in Tadashi's eyes that made the former professor shudder. They were full of guilt and fear and shame and anger. It was hard to reconcile this figure with the always optimistic, caring young man Callahagn had taught. It hurt to know he'd done this to him.

"I'm so sorry," Callahagn whispered. Tadashi smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"You don't know the half of it," Tadashi said. Callahagn nodded and turned back to his work. It was the only thing he could do to that would change anything. "I spent months in a hospital. In a twisted way I was grateful that I have no feeling bellow my waist, because every inch of skin hurt so bad. I don't know which is worse the days of feeling useless or the nights where I wake up the house with my screaming," Tadashi continued. Callahagn's fingers slipped on the screwdriver. "Then it turned out that the nerve damage in my hands and arms is so bad, chances are I'll never be able to work with robots. I have all these ideas in my head and I can't get them out because my hands shake too much. I can't even produce legible blueprints. Hiro built me this suit. It's controlled by a neuralcranial transmitter, but I can't wear it for any length of time because it gives me headaches that put me down for days at a time. I can't walk. I can't build. I can't sleep. But I've done my best to find the upsides," Tadashi trailed off. He was doubled over on the couch. His helmet lay on the floor abandoned. Tadashi's body shook with sobs and tears leaked from between his fingers. He choked back the sobs and kept talking. "GoGo built me a better wheelchair and it like I could actually go and do things again. With my friends around, I've learned to ignore the stares. I wear the suit for a couple hours and am able to actually help people. I've taken up programming and I'm actually descent at it. I was just starting to think that maybe, just maybe I could build a life worth living," a sob cut off Tadashi's monologue. Tears dripped to the ground. "Then Hack showed up and reminded me that I'm a cripple in a fancy suit. He took Hiro and there was nothing I could do," Tadashi sobbed. Callahagn wanted to get up and rest his hand on Tadashi's shoulder, do something to stop the broken sounds coming from his crumpled form.

"This is not your fault," Callahagn replied. "It's mine and I will never be able to make up for what I've done to you."

"That's the worst part of this whole mess," Tadashi muttered. Callahagn blinked in surprise. "I can live with life in a wheelchair. It's really not that bad," Tadashi sobbed. He could feel Honey spinning around with him in the market. "Hiro's a mess. We're both trying to rebuild our lives. Did you know even after he got passed what you did, he still didn't eat or sleep? Did you know the first time he slept the night through since the fire was the night I came home from the hospital? These days, we sleep together because it helps with the nightmares and it's better than Hiro getting up a dozen times each night to make sure I haven't left him. That's his biggest fear- that he's going to lose his family again. Honey, GoGo, Wasabi, Fred, Baymax, and I are supposed to always be there for him. We promised and we failed. I failed," Tadashi shivered. He lifted his face to look at Callahagn. "Twice." It was little more than a whisper.

"I took you away from Hiro and Hack took Hiro from you. Neither of those are your fault. You are the most selfless, kind hearted individual I have ever met and you will get Hiro back," Callahagn said. "I'll fix the scanner and you will rescue Hiro. Hack wouldn't have taken him just to kill him. Hiro will be alive and I have no doubt that he's being a perfectly horrible captive. He's the kind of kid the kidnappers bring back. If he's anywhere near technology, Hack had better watch his back," Callahagn smiled slightly. Tadashi didn't say anything. He just stared at Callahagn. He was trembling slightly. Callahagn went back to work on the scanner. Tadashi just watched him. It took two hours. At one point, Baymax appeared in the garage with a sandwich for Tadashi. The young man waved the robot away and told him to offer it to Callahagn. The professor ate quickly. Tadashi did accept a glass of water and ibuprofen. Between the emotions swirling through his head, crying, and the transmitter Tadashi's head was screaming. He leaned back on the couch and without meaning to drifted off to sleep. Callahagn saw his chance to slip away, but didn't even reach for the rope at his ankles. He'd done enough damage to these kids.

GoGo slipped down from the café as quietly as possible. Callahagn was working away. Tadashi was sound asleep on the couch. GoGo walked back upstairs. "He's working on the scanner," she whispered to the others. Cass was next door helping Mrs. Matsuda get her apartment ready for the coming storm. She'd sworn that it wasn't a big deal even with the curfew. Mrs. Matsuda's place was practically connected to the café. Thus no one had had to explain Hiro's absence yet. GoGo grabbed a blanket off the couch upstairs and headed back to the garage. Callahagn glance up when the bottom step creaked. He looked back at his work almost immediately. He knew how GoGo felt about him and had no desire to get her riled up. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched GoGo drape the blanket over Tadashi. GoGo covered Tadashi and then hesitated.

"How much longer?" she asked after a moment of indecision.

"Half hour?" Callahagn shrugged.

"What'd you do to him? He looks like hell," GoGo asked. Her voice was harsh, accusatory.

"I apologized," Callahagn replied.

"That all," GoGo frowned.

"Yeah. He laughed at me and then made sure I knew exactly what I have to apologize for," Callahgan explained.

"Then what?" GoGo asked.

"I apologized and went back to work. What else can I do?" Callahagn said. GoGo clenched her fists. This was not her kind professor or the calculating villain. The man in front of her slumped under the weight of guilt. "Did you know he blames all of this on himself? He thinks his injuries are his fault and because they prevented him from protecting Hiro from Hack makes this on his shoulders," Callahagn added.

"He'll be okay," GoGo replied. "The Hamadas are tough as nails and stubborn like no others," she muttered, looking at the sleeping Tadashi. "He's just sleep deprived and worried like the rest of us. Need anything else?" she asked.

"Got everything right here," Callahagn said.

"Okay," GoGo nodded. She shuffled her feet on the concrete. "I don't take back anything I said last time I saw you," she told Callahagn. "But this goes a long ways towards fixing some of what you broke." She turned on her heels and practically ran back upstairs. GoGo went to the bathroom to gather herself before rejoining the others. "Damn him," she whispered to the mirror. "Damn him for being so remorseful. Damn him for actually caring." She gripped the edge of the sink. The last time she'd seen Callahagn had been at his sentencing. She'd told him he was the worst sort of monster to ever walk the earth. He'd killed one brother and broke the other and he didn't care. She'd stood inches from him and hissed that at him. There'd been a threat and a promise in her voice when she told him to stay away from Hiro and the rest of the gang. She'd sworn she'd never forgive him for what he'd put them through. GoGo took a deep breath and composed her face. She walked back to the others and didn't say anything about her conversation with Callahagn.


	35. Chapter 35

Tadashi woke up and regretted it almost instantly. His mouth felt full of cotton and his head throbbed in time with his heartbeat. His neck was bent at an awkward angle and in his confusion, he reached for Hiro. All he found was couch and the events of the day came crashing down. Tadashi's eyes flew open. He was supposed to be watching Callahagn. Tadashi nearly had a heart attack when he was the chair empty and the ropes on the floor. "Sorry. I needed a soldering iron and didn't want to wake you up," Callahagn said softly. Tadashi stared at him in surprise.

"You aren't gone," Tadashi remarked.

"I'm almost done. Just got to finish putting it back together," Callahagn shrugged. "This is the least I could do."

"I shouldn't have slept," Tadashi muttered, rubbing his neck.

"You clearly needed it. I assume you are going after Hack immediately?" Callahagn asked. He sat back down in the chair and started fitting the last panel over the scanner. Hiro's drone was in pieces. Tadashi shrugged. Hiro could always build another one when they got him back.

"Yeah. The sooner he's safe and Hack's under lock and key the sooner we can all rest easier," Tadashi nodded. The hairs on the back of his neck were standing at attention. Tadashi had a bad feeling.

"It's done," Callahagn said. He turned the chair around and offered Tadashi the helmet. Tadashi picked his own helmet up and pulled it on. He stumbled standing up and muttered a few choice words when he nearly fell.

"I forget how hard walking this way is," Tadashi muttered. He took the helmet from Callahagn and headed towards the stairs. "I wouldn't go upstairs if I were you. Aunt Cass might kill you," Tadashi remarked.

"Got it. When you get Hiro, you can return me," Callahagn said. Tadashi snorted. The man made it sound like he was some kind of a rental appliance.

"For what it's worth. You've helped quite a bit tonight," Tadashi added. Then he was gone. The gang slipped out the back of the Café as Cass walked in the front. The rain had stopped for the moment, but the wind was stronger than ever. Night was following. The curfew had gone into effect an hour before. There was no time to waste. Tadashi took off and Baymax followed with the others aboard. Fred had volunteered to be carried. He dangled below the robot, striking heroic poses and they spiraled upward. Baymax landed on one of the aerial turbines and initiated his scan. The cobbled together scanner was slower. Tadashi paced dangerously close to the edge while they waited. Then his phone rang. It was Risa.

"How's it going?" Risa asked.

"Baymax is locating Hiro as we speak," Tadashi replied. "You?"

"It wasn't easy, but I got the virus analysis off the system," Risa said.

"So you can free the system?" Tadashi asked.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I recognize the way the virus is written. It's a nasty piece of work. Mack would love it. It uses three different languages, has backup on top of backup, and is constantly rewriting itself," Risa paused and Tadashi could hear her take a deep breath. "Before I started at SFIT, I was part of a group of hackers. Our leader was a guy named Marcus Willis. He was one of those geniuses who give the group a bad name- egotistical and entitled. This code practically screams his name. He all but signed it," Risa explained.

"What else do you know about this guy?" Tadashi asked.

"For starters, he's supposed to be dead. Got arrested, skipped out on bail, and crashed his car into the bay. They never recovered a body," Risa shrugged. "Watching himself destruct is what convinced me to really try for SFIT. Beyond that I don't know much about him."

"What if it's another one of your hacker gang?" Tadashi asked.

"I doubt it's one of them, but if it is it doesn't matter. They all work the same way. Take away their toys and they won't do so hot in a fight," Risa replied.

"They say the same thing about us," Tadashi muttered.

"Doubt it. Did you see Hack's latest broadcast?" Risa snickered.

"No. Why?" Tadashi frowned.

"He's got his coat off and there's a nasty bite mark on his neck. Someone with an abnormal gap between their front teeth was clearly not happy with Hack," Risa said.

"Is he trying to get himself killed?" Tadashi hissed.

"Tadashi. Calm down. Hack took Hiro because he needed him. He's not going to really hurt the kid. He can't and Hiro knows that. I'm sure the twerp is making Hack's life miserable and the more distracted Hack is the easier our jobs are," Tadashi could practically see Risa's evil smile.

"What have you got up your sleeve?" Tadashi asked warily.

"You're going after Hack, but I'm worried he'll make good on his threat to drop the turbines when you guys break down the door. They've got everyone off the monorails so that's not as big of a threat, but the turbines could hurt a lot of people," Risa explained. "I'm going to try and break his virus."

"Can you do that?" Tadashi frowned.

"It's been a long time since I went head to head with a program like this, but I've improved a lot since then. I need an infected computer with high speed internet and someplace quiet," Risa said.

"Lucky Cat Café. Tell Cass you're a friend of Hiro and Tadashi and you're going to fix the city," Tadashi said. He didn't hesitate.

"Alright," Risa agreed. Tadashi told her the address.

"Risa?" Tadashi asked as she got ready to hang up.

"Yeah?"

"How many times did you beat this Marcus guy's code?" Tadashi asked.

"I came close a couple times," Risa mumbled. Then she hung up. Tadashi shook his head. At this point he had to trust Risa to know what she was doing.

"I have a location," Baymax announced. Tadashi put the phone away and turned to face his friends. They were all looking at him.

"This time, we go in with a plan," Fred declared. Tadashi blinked in surprise.

"And you did pretty good at the prison," GoGo added. Tadashi swallowed. It hit him that this was bigger than just Hiro. His friends were counting on him and the city was counting on them. Below, the city was unnaturally dark. The turbine whined in the wind. The first drop of rain hit Tadashi's visor. The calm before the storm was over.

Meanwhile…

Hack dumped Hiro in a locked concrete room. There were no windows and only the faded green, metal door. Hiro had no idea where he was or how he'd gotten there. He remembered being thrown in the trunk of a car and that was it. Hiro's first order of business was to strip off the armor. There was no point in leaving it on. The protection it offered was worthless compared to the amount of control it gave Hack over him. It took longer than normal with only one arm. Hiro's wrist radiated pain. He was sure it was broken. When he heard the door being unlocked, Hiro stood off to the side and prepared to ambush his kidnapper. Hack walked through the door and Hiro was on him in an instant. Hiro's sidekick slammed into Hack's side. Hack staggered to the side gasping for air and Hiro ran. He rounded the corner and smashed face first into a man like a brick wall. "STOP HIM!" Hack wheezed. The man grabbed HIro in a bear hug and hauled him back to the room. Hiro struggled and cursed the fact that he hadn't kept up his Taekwondo after the fire. What kind of a hero let his combat skills lapse? He couldn't always depend on his inventions. Hack had driven that home. The man slammed Hiro against the wall hard enough to jar Hiro's wrist and make him gasp in pain. He let Hiro slide to the ground cradling his wrist. Hack worked to catch his breath. He stared at Hiro from behind his mask. Hiro hated that impassive silver face.

"You're going to regret this big time," Hiro gasped through the pain.

"Hold him," Hack snarled. Hiro managed to struggle when the man reached for him, but all the guy had to do was grab Hiro's wrist and it was over. He held Hiro by the shoulders so that the kid was facing Hack. The only reason Hiro was upright was the man's firm grip. He was pale and shaking. Hack slapped Hiro across the face. Hard. Hiro whimpered, but managed not to scream. He braced himself for another slap, but Hack's other fist smashed into Hiro's stomach. Starbursts erupted behind Hiro's eyes. He cried out at, but couldn't hear himself. It felt like he was spinning. Hack leaned in to whisper in Hiro's ear.

"You are going to build robots for me. Starting with a suit. Either you do what I say or you'll suffer and your family will suffer," Hack hissed. "Next time you pull some crap like that, I'll kill one of them. Don't think I can't do it. I control this city now. Maybe I'll drop a turbine on that stupid little Café your friends went back to. You can watch them pick the bodies out of the rubble," Hack chuckled. Hiro snapped. Hack was in his space and threatening his family. Hiro sank his teeth into Hack's neck right were the neck met the collarbone. His mouth filled with blood and Hack screamed in his ear. The man dropped Hiro. Hiro reached out to catch himself and screamed when his wrist hit the floor. There was a sharp crack that made his stomach churn. If the wrist wasn't broken before it definitely was now. Hiro clutched his arm to his chest and rocked back and forth on the floor howling in pain. Hack's boot slammed into Hiro's gut. Once. Twice. Hiro curled in a ball, unable to protect both his arm and his head from Hack's blows. He counted five kicks before he blacked out. Hack stared at the limp body on the floor. He felt the wound on his neck. His hand came away covered in blood.

"I'm charging extra for that," the man told Hack. "Hurting kids was not in my contract," he snapped.

"Fine. I'll pay you whatever," Hack snapped back. He knew he'd made a mistake, let his temper get the best of him. "When he wakes up take him to the work room and get him started," Hack ordered. He stormed out of the room. The man stared at Hiro and shifted uncomfortably. He'd only taken this job because he lost his job as a bouncer for one of the clubs. He had not signed up for this. It was the thought of thirty thousand dollars that made him prop the boy against a wall and go look for a chair to wait in.

When Hiro woke up, he let himself be carried to another room—all concrete and windowless like the first. The difference was this room had a work bench set up with tools and half assembled suits of robotic armor were scattered around. "Hack says he wants one of these finished. Soon. And to tell you that everything in here is infected with the virus. You will be hurt if you try to use the suits," the guard informed Hiro. He locked the boy in the room and went to keep watch. Hiro looked around at the tools. He was in no shape to fight. Or build for that matter. His hands wouldn't stop shaking. Every movement and breath sent a wave of pain through his body. He wasn't to puke and his vision was blurry. But Hack's threat to drop a turbine on the café spurred Hiro to reach for the first piece of armor and some tools. Hack had tracked the infected suits. His family was in danger. Hiro would not watch them be dug out of the ruble. He'd lived through that once already and had no desire to do it again. The thing that kept Hiro moving was Tadashi's promise. He swore he wouldn't leave. Tadashi, GoGo, Honey, Wasabi, Fred, and Baymax were Hiro's family and he knew they were coming for him. They had to be.


	36. Chapter 36

Baymax led the group to a warehouse in San Fransokyo's industrial district. It reminded Tadashi of nights spent rescuing Hiro and running form angry BotFighters. Tadashi left the team, hiding around the block and took to the air for some reconnaissance. He located several possible entry points. Baymax had said there were three people inside. One of them was Hiro and he was in the center of the building. The other two weren't far away. Peering in the windows, Tadashi decided the bottom floor was empty. He couldn't see into the second floor. All the windows were covered in heavy black paper, but small gaps let out light. The building had power. Tadashi smiled grimly. Hack hadn't hid himself particularly well. That implied cockiness. Tadashi returned to the others. He still stumbled on the landing, but didn't dwell on it. "Everyone still inside?" Tadashi asked Baymax the robot nodded.

"They have not moved. I pulled the building's blueprints off the internet. I believe there is a guard at the top of the stairs. He is in his forties, in excellent health, and quite large. A right turn at the top of the stairs will take you to Hiro. A left leads to the third person, who fits Hack's age," Baymax informed Tadashi.

"Alright then. Listen up guys. I have a plan," Tadashi said. There was a fire in his voice. "Wasabi and Fred will go in hot through the front, distract the guard, and draw Hack's attention. Honey and GoGo will sneak in the skylight. It should put you very close to Hiro," Tadashi explained. "Find him and protect him," he ordered.

"You aren't going after Hiro?" GoGo frowned.

"Risa's antivirus is holding, but if Hack has got something else up his sleeve, the two of you stand the best chance against him without your suits. Wasabi's got Fred's back if the Kaiju armor malfunctions. Baymax and I are the most vulnerable. Which is why we're going after Hack. It will force him to show his hand. Hiro is our main objective. If things go bad, you and Honey should be able to get him to safety. Wasabi and Fred should be able to get away. You can regroup and come back for me and Baymax if we don't get away," Tadashi explained. He looked over his friends. Their faces were set. They'd follow him to the end. "Any other questions? All things work out, we meet up inside."

"Let's do this," Wasabi replied.

"For Hiro," GoGo nodded.

"For San Fransokyo," Fred added.

"I'm pretty sure I've seen this in a comic book," Tadashi snorted. An evil smiled played on Tadashi's lips. Hack was in for a rude awakening if he thought he could get away with hurting anyone on Big Hero 7's watch, let alone one of their own. Baymax and Tadashi took off. Baymax carried the girls to the roof and set them down silently. They crouched beside the skylight. Honey had a chemisphere in her hand, all ready to go. Baymax and Tadashi hovered outside the window nearest to Hack. Fred and Wasabi waited until the others were in position. They walked side by side to the front door and Wasabi sliced it through with his lasers. It was overkill, but the sound of metal sheets clattering to the concrete definitely got someone's attention. They could hear someone inside cursing. Fred further announced their arrival with a ferocious roar and burst of flame. The guard ran down the stairs, gun in hand, and found himself to face with a fire breathing monster and man nearly as big as he was. Wasabi glared at the guard. He was an intimidating figure in his uniform with his laser's running. The remains of the door still glowed red hot against the concrete floor. The guard raised his gun and fired. Wasabi ducked behind Fred and listened to the bullets clatter against the armor. Honey and GoGo shattered the skylight under the cover of gunfire and dropped onto a crash pad created by Honey's chemisphere.

"Rocket fist?" Baymax asked, looking to Tadashi.

"Do it," Tadashi ordered. Baymax's fist slammed through the window, taking a descent chunk of the wall with it. The soft tinkling of broken glass from the girls' entrances was masked by the boys' entrances. Tadashi followed Baymax in through the opening.

Hack stared at the screens around him. He could feel his plans shattering the instant Fred and Wasabi smashed through the front door. Their suits should have been out of commission. Permanently. Hack watched his guard open fire on the two heroes. The one with the lasers slipped behind the other. They seemed unfazed by the bullets. That's when the robot and the one with wings smashed through the wall. Hack turned his attention to his computer, his best bargaining chip. The heroes could posture all they wanted. It didn't change the fact that Hack controlled the city. Honey and GoGo slunk through the building, hugging walls and sticking to shadows. Had Hack been paying attention to the security footage, he would have seen at most a glimmer of yellow in the corner of the screen. Of course the door was locked. GoGo turned to Honey. The taller girl was already typing a formula into her dispenser. Honey stepped back and motioned for GoGo to do the same. She threw the sphere at the door handle and waited. The metal smoked on contact with the chemical. Tadashi stalked down the hall. Hack was at the end of the hall. His door was open which took Tadashi by surprise. Tadashi shoved the door. It swung easily and slammed into the wall. Hack flinched at his desk.

"There was no need for that," Hack retorted. "All this posturing is pointless."

"Get on the floor with your hands behind your head," Tadashi snarled.

"You going to make me?" Hack sneered.

"Yes," Tadashi said. His voice was like ice. Baymax's threatening bulk filled the doorway behind Tadashi.

"I'm afraid you won't like the results if I leave my computer," Hack replied. "You see. If it doesn't receive a code from me every five minutes the turbines will fall and a surge will hit the grid. It's enough to destroy all electronics connected to the system and maybe kill the people who are too close. At the least they'll have some nasty burns," Hack chuckled. Tadashi clenched his fists.

"Tell me the code," Tadashi demanded.

"Can't. It changes every time. It generates an encrypted prompt which I have to answer," Hack shrugged. He could feel power tipping in his favor.

"Tadashi. We've got Hiro," GoGo's voice came through the com. It grounded him. GoGo swallowed hard. "He's in bad shape Tadashi," she added softly. Tadashi felt his blood run cold.

"What did you do to Hiro?" Tadashi snarled at Hack.

"The kid?" Hack frowned. "He tried to fight and he lost. Same as you have," Hack snorted. The computer beeped. Hack turned his back on Tadashi to watch the code scrolling across the screen. He typed a couple lines and swiveled back around to find Tadashi's visor inches from his face.

"You hurt my little brother and you're hurting my city," Tadashi's voice was soft and deadly. "You will stand down or I will make you." It wasn't a threat. Hack swallowed. They were close enough, Tadashi could hear his breath catch and see Hack's throat jump as he swallowed.

"Told you I can't. The city's mine. Take the twerp and leave," Hack replied. He struggled to keep his voice steady with Tadashi in his face. Hack searched the visor for some sign of the face underneath and all he could see was his own reflection. Tadashi grabbed Hack by the shoulder, lifting and slamming him against the wall. Hack shivered. His feet didn't touch the ground. "You can't hurt me," Hack protested. "If I can't enter the code because of you then all those deaths will be on your head."

"Funny. I used the same logic to persuade myself that my brother would be fine," Tadashi sneered. It was then that Hack realized just how big of a mistake he'd made in touching the kid. He'd crossed a line and the figure in front of him was ready to follow. The gloves were off.

"I won't enter the code," Hack said. "I don't care if people die. They're nothing to me."

"I believe you," Tadashi nodded. He drove his fist into Hack's stomach. He could hear the air being forced out of Hack's lungs. Suspended off the ground in Tadashi's grip, there was nothing Hack could do, but open and close his mouth, gasping like a fish out of water. Tadashi dropped him and turned his attention to the computer. Hack ripped his mask off, trying to get more air back into his lungs. A timer in the top right of the screen informed Tadashi he had three and a half minutes before the code needed entered. Tadashi stared at the code scrolling across the screen. Bits and pieces made sense, but not the whole. It was beyond him. Tadashi had a sinking feeling in his gut. He could hear the others on the coms, but ignored them. Instead he pulled off his helmet and dialed Risa. Downstairs, Wasabi was handcuffing the guard while Fred stood and looked menacing. The guard had dropped his weapon and surrendered when he ran out of bullets. He took one look at the monster and the soldier and decided he hadn't signed up for this. On the other side of the building, GoGo cradled a confused Hiro and battered while Honey tried to reach Tadashi and Baymax on the coms. Hiro kept trying to smile at GoGo. He wanted to tell her he was okay, but his mouth couldn't seem to form the words. Everything was blurry and each movement sent a wave of agony through his body. Hiro's face was so swollen that the sound that come out his mouth was a soft whimper when GoGo jostled him.

Risa was having a hell of a day. She'd almost died three times and it wasn't even close 8 o'clock yet. Getting the analysis out of the SFIT computer system had been a challenge, but not beyond her by any means. Getting from campus to the Lucky Cat Café proved to be more difficult. It was after curfew and everything seemed out to get her. She was zapped by a traffic light and an idiot in a truck nearly ran her over. The wind and rain were worse than ever. She staggered into the café clutching her laptop and fighting back tears. The electricity from the traffic light had arced down and struck her shoulder. Every movement made cloth rub against her raw skin. Cass looked up from the café table, hoping to see one her nephews duck through the door. Instead a girl with pink hair staggered inside looking half drowned. "My name's Risa. I'm a friend of Hiro and Tadashi's for SFIT. I'm trying to fix the city computer system. I need your computer," RIsa blurted out. Cass stared at the girl, a million thoughts through running through her mind.

"Are they alright?" Cass asked. Instantly, she was out of her chair and helping the girl into one.

"Last I heard," Risa said, shrugging off Cass's help. "So can I use your computer?"

"We don't have any electricity," Cass frowned.

"I can fix that," Risa sighed. Of course, this couldn't be easy.

"Right this way," Cass said. She led Risa to the office off the Café. "Sorry it's a bit of a mess," Cass apologized, sweeping papers off the desk. Risa dropped into the computer chair and started digging in her backpack. She pulled out what looked like a miniature car battery and hooked it to the computer. The monitor turned on to reveal lines of code scrolling past.

"Good. It's still connected to the internet," Risa muttered. Cass hovered in the doorway, watching. Next Risa pulled out her laptop with the virus analysis and plugged it into Cass's computer. "This is going to take a while," Risa told Cass.

"Can I get you anything?" Cass asked.

"No. Thanks," RIsa smiled slightly. "You're HIro and Tadashi's aunt Right?" she clarified. Cass nodded.

"Are you the one who's been helping Tadashi with programming?" Cass asked.

"Yeah," Risa smiled. She shrugged off her coat and settled into the chair. Cass saw the angry red skin on Risa's shoulder and went to go find the first aid kit. When Cass came back, Risa was typing on the laptop and watching the code of the desktop monitor.

"I've got some cream that will help your arm," Cass explained. Risa nodded. She was totally absorbed in her work. The virus was complex, ever changing. She and her program were testing its limits, feeling it out before engaging in a serious fight. Cass pulled a chair up beside Risa and started working on the burn. Risa flashed her a grateful smile. Forty minutes later, Cass was trying not to fall asleep in the chair and RIsa sat up straighter at the desk. The code had changed. The virus was preparing to attack. It wasn't clear what exactly would happen, but it couldn't be good. Risa typed faster. There was no more time for sparring. It was go time. Then the attack stopped, or more accurately was delayed. Risa frowned. This new game was not good. Risa didn't wait. She kept hacking away at the virus, unraveling it's code and neutralizing it piece by piece. It was brilliantly written, but even the best code always had loop holes. Risa heard her phone ring but ignored it. She was gaining the upper hand.

Tadashi stared at the screen in desperation. He'd tried using his program on it, but is hadn't been able to read the multiple languages used in the virus. The countdown was almost out. Tadashi screwed his eyes shut and waited for the sound of turbines smashing to earth. It never came. The countdown stopped with seven seconds left and message filled the screen. "Sorry, but this city is protected." Everywhere else, the lights were coming back on. Tadashi collapsed into Hack's chair.

"Guess what," Tadashi said. "You lose." Hack didn't respond. "You see, there's this girl. Her name's Risa. You might know her. She's brilliant, bit reckless, but her hearts in the right place. Dyes her hair pink. Any of that ringing a bell?" Tadashi continued.

"No," Hack managed to choke out. Disbelief and fear were written on every line of his face.

"Yes. And she sends her regards," Tadashi smiled. It was over. It was finally over. He was going to get Hiro and patch him up. Hack was going to go away for a long time. Tadashi stood up and made his way towards the hacker. Hack was a guy in his twenties with sandy blonde hair, gray eyes, and a face that didn't stand out. He struggled slightly when Tadashi put the handcuffs on him. "Knock him out quick so we can go help Hiro," Tadashi ordered Baymax. The nurse bot nodded and approached Hack. The man struggled wildly. Baymax wasn't going to hurt him, but Hack didn't know that. Baymax injected a sedative into Hack's wrist and he went limp in seconds. Tadashi followed Baymax out of the room towards Hiro.


	37. Chapter 37

Wasabi and Fred met Tadashi and Baymax in the hall. They hurried to find Hiro and the girls. Fred gasped when they walked into the room where Hiro'd been kept.

"It's exactly what I imagined an evil genius's lab would look like," Fred murmured. At first glance, he didn't even notice Hiro and the girls amid the half-finished suits and other inventions. Tadashi and Baymax on the other hand made straight for the small figure cradled in GoGo's arms. Tadashi didn't even glance around the lab. He hovered over Hiro and GoGo, unsure what to do.

"I think he looks worse than he is," GoGo soothed. "Looks like he's got a concussion and a lot of bruises." Tadashi swallowed hard. Hiro was a mess. His face was swollen and bruised. There was dried blood on his face from a split lip and broken nose.

"Hiro's injuries are nonlife threatening," Baymax added. "I recommend taking him home for treatment." Tadashi nodded.

"I'll call the police to pick up Hack and his lackey. We can take care of Hiro at the café. Meet you guys there?" Tadashi suggested. The others nodded. Wasabi tossed Tadashi a cellphone.

"Took it off the guard. Might as well not leave anymore info about us for the police than we have to," Wasabi shrugged. He, Fred, and the girls took off. Baymax scooped Hiro up gently. Tadashi dialed 911.

"Listen closely," Tadashi ordered the operator. "Hack is currently unconscious and handcuffed in an upstairs room at the following location…"

Tadashi almost crashed twice on his way back to the Lucky Cat. He'd been running on adrenaline and sheer willpower. With Hiro safely in Baymax's arms, the pain and exhaustion hit Tadashi like a ton of bricks. Every sound and light felt like a pick axe being driven into his skull. Just keeping his eyes open was a struggle. Focusing on flying was almost impossible. By some miracle, he made it to the café and managed to stagger in the front door. There was no way they could hide Hiro's injuries from Aunt Cass and she'd be helpful, so why bother even trying to sneak around?

Cass and Risa were sitting at a table together. They both looked up when the front door opened. Risa stared open mouthed at Tadashi in his armor. Baymax ducked through the door and all Cass saw was the body in his arms. She knocked her chair over in a rush to reach him. "Hiro has sustained nonlife threatening injuries," Baymax informed her.

"Take him upstairs. I'll get more first aid supplies," Cass ordered. She was off in a flash, leaving Baymax to follow her orders. Baymax headed for the stairs. Tadashi sagged against the wall and closed his eyes. Cass hadn't even been fazed by the armor.

"Tadashi?" Risa asked. He forced his eyes open. She was standing beside him. Her face was full of sympathy and concern. "Are you okay?"

"No," Tadashi muttered.

"Can I help?" Risa asked. Tadashi blinked in surprise behind his helmet. Risa was soaking wet. He could see the bandage on her arm and she looked little better than he felt. Stress had taken its toll on her. She had every right to walk away and leave this crazy mess to its owners. Most people would have. Instead she was offering to help. That impressed Tadashi. He hadn't though she was that type of person.

"Can you help me upstairs?" Tadashi asked. Risa nodded. With Tadashi leaning heavily on Risa, the pair staggered up the staircase. Cass had Hiro lying on the couch. She and Baymax were already at work. Risa helped Tadashi to a chair at the kitchen table. He collapsed into it gratefully. Tadashi pulled his helmet off and rubbed his temples. The world was a blur of light and sound. He could hear people talking, but none of it made sense. The words were nothing more than sounds. The pain in his head had changed from spikes to a constant, numbing ache. Tadashi rested his head on the table. The cool wood felt good against his forehead. Risa watched Cass and Baymax work on Hiro. They set and splinted his broken wrist. Baymax bandaged Hiro's cuts while Cass made ice packs.

"He looks bad, but he's going to be fine," Cass said, scurrying passed Risa. Risa wasn't totally sure who Cass was reassuring. Risa turned back to Tadashi, saw him face down on the table, and felt her heart skip a beat.

"Something's wrong with Tadashi," Risa hissed. Baymax looked up from where he was tending Hiro. Risa ran back to Tadashi's side and gently shook his shoulder. Baymax just stared at Tadashi. Tadashi didn't respond to Risa's touch and she started to panic.

"My scans show Tadashi is suffering from sleep deprivation and sensory overload. He will recover with rest," Baymax diagnosed. Risa frowned. Cass reappeared with several ice packs.

"Is it from wearing the suit?" Cass asked.

"Yes, heavy use of the neuralcranial transmitter puts strain on the brain causing severe migraines nausea," Baymax explained.

"So that's why he doesn't just wear a more normal looking version of the suit around all the time," Cass muttered. "What do I need to do for Tadashi?" Cass asked Baymax.

"I will take him upstairs after I finish treating Hiro," Baymax said. Cass nodded. The bell tied to the door of the café rang.

"Will you go see who it is?" Cass asked Risa. The girl nodded and headed back downstairs. She came face to face with the rest of the heroes.

"Wow," Risa murmured. "You guys look awesome." GoGo rolled her eyes. Fred stood a little straighter.

"Are Tadashi and Hiro…?" Honey started.

"Upstairs. Cass and Baymax are patching Hiro up and Tadashi's passed out at the kitchen table. Baymax says he's okay," Risa explained. The others nodded and headed for the stairs.

"How's Cass taking the whole superhero thing?" GoGo asked as she passed Risa.

"She really doesn't seem surprised," Risa shrugged. She followed the others upstairs. They all pulled up chairs around the table. Risa hung back. She wasn't sure how she fit into this group. Tadashi hadn't been pleased to say the least about her finding out their secret and she had a feeling he'd only turned to her out of desperation. The others were all pulling off their helmets and watching Baymax work on Hiro. Honey noticed Risa leaning against the wall and motioned for the pink haired girl to pull up a chair. Risa hesitated, but took a seat next to Honey. They sat in silence for a few minutes. Baymax left Cass to finish bandaging Hiro's more minor scrapes and clean the dried blood off his face. The robot turned his attention to Tadashi next. Risa watched in fascination as Baymax scooped up Tadashi and carried him up to the loft. "Baymax is amazing," Risa said.

"Yeah," GoGo nodded.

"What do you expect from geniuses like Tadashi and Hiro?" Fred teased. He was half out of his kaiju costume. The head sat on the floor beside his chair and his arms were out on the table out of the suit. Cass flopped into the chair Tadashi had left. Baymax reappeared.

"I will treat you now," the robot announced. Honey let him treat the burn on her arm. Fred still wouldn't look at the damage his suit had done. Cass waited until all of their scrapes and bruises had been taken care of before turning on the heroes.

"You have a lot of explaining to do," Cass said. She fixed each one in turn with what Hiro referred to as her angry aunt stare. "Start with tonight. I have a pretty good idea of how you all ended up looking like comic book characters. I want to know why Hiro looks like he got hit by a car," Cass added. The five costumed college students glanced at each other. Risa just shrugged. She was essentially as out of the loop as Cass.

"Well it started when I heard someone was attacking the grid on the radio," Fred started. "It sounded like the sort of thing we should and could handle so I called the others," he explained. "When we got there I ran in headfirst and Hack's virus infected my suit."

"All of our suits," Honey added. "Hack shut us all down and laughed."

"He made my suit attack you guys. I burned Honey. I thought I was going to kill one of you," Fred admitted. He stared at his hands.

"It's not your fault Freddy," Honey insisted.

"He could have just as easily turned Baymax against us," Wasabi added. The gang shuddered at the thought.

"Anyway, we got our butts kicked," GoGo said, bringing the discussion back on topic. "Fred was attacking us, Tadashi couldn't walk, and Baymax was spazzing out on the floor. Hack took Hiro because he wanted him to build robots or something," GoGo continued. "We made it back here to the garage and Risa told us how to debug the suits. Baymax's scanner was damaged so we had to go kidnap…" she stopped and her eyes widened. "Is he still in the garage?!" GoGo asked turning to the others.

"Umm…" Wasabi winced. "Maybe we should go check."

"What? Who's in the garage?" Cass demanded. Wasabi and GoGo were already making a break for the stairs.

"We sort of kidnapped Callahagn from prison to fix Baymax's scanner because Tadashi couldn't do it," Fred shrugged.

"Nerve damage?" Risa asked. Fred nodded. Cass stood up and headed for the stairs.

"Uh Oh," Fred mumbled. He and Risa hurried after her.


	38. Chapter 38

Risa frowned at the plate of food in front of her. This had to be the most unusual dinner she'd ever had. Fred was still wearing most of his kaiju costume. Baymax was petting Mochi and sneaking him bits of food. Hiro was awake and sore. Baymax had tried to order the youngest Hamada to bed, but Hiro was hungry and he wanted to hear about taking Hack down. So now Cass, Honey, Wasabi, GoGo, Fred, Risa, Hiro, and Baymax were squeezed together around the kitchen table. It might not have been too awkward if Callahagn wasn't on the couch, picking at a plate of food, and nursing a black eye.

Hiro had woken up to people yelling. He didn't know where he was and he couldn't seem to make words out of the voices. After several seconds of blinking at the ceiling, it finally clicked that he was home. The angry voice was achingly familiar. Aunt Cass was giving someone an earful. Hiro sat up and regretted it. Ice packs slipped to the floor. Everything hurt—from his ribs to his face to his wrist. Still, he forced himself to stand up and follow his Aunt's voice. Hiro took it one step at a time. He clung to the railing on his way down to the café and then down to the garage. He walked in just in time to see Aunt Cass deck Callahagn. Hiro leaned against the doorframe and rubbed his eyes. When he looked again, a fuming Cass stood over the former professor. Fred and Wasabi were pulling faces, GoGo and Risa were staring at Cass in open admiration, and Honey looked rather conflicted. Callahagn scrambled away from Cass. Cass took a step towards him, but Honey's hand on her shoulder stopped her. "I owed him that much at least," Cass snapped, but she didn't try to pull away from Honey.

"Am hallucinating?" Hiro asked. Every eye in the room turned on Hiro. Everyone froze. Cass broke the tension. She walked over to her nephew and wrapped him in a gentle hug.

"How are you feeling, sweetie?" Cass asked. Hiro leaned into the hug.

"Fabulous," he muttered. Cass smiled at Hiro and ruffled his hair.

"Let's get you back upstairs. You need to keep icing things or you aren't going to be able to move tomorrow," Cass ordered.

"Might as well stick me in a bathtub of ice," Hiro snorted.

"Baymax said no," Cass smiled. Turning back to the others, Cass said, "I'll make dinner. Might as well bring him upstairs so we can keep an eye on him."

An hour later Hiro was on the couch with half a dozen ice packs, Honey and Cass were puttering around the kitchen making dinner, Wasabi and Fred were talking about lasers, and GoGo was sitting backwards over a kitchen chair watching Callahagn. After Honey threw him an icepack, everyone besides GoGo ignored the former professor. He stayed out of the way, eventually settling on a chair in the living room. Hiro's head was bobbing. He was clearly doing his best not to fall asleep. Callahagn saw Hiro's eyelids drop and not jerk back up. He swallowed hard. It was like watching Abigail. He'd patched her up after every bot fight gone wrong and watched her lose the battle against sleep. A loud burst of laughter from the kitchen startled Hiro. He sat back up and gently rubbed his face, trying to fight his way back to alertness. He saw Callahagn and blinked several times. Callahagn watched the boy, waiting for the anger to flash across his face. He full expected Hiro scream and yell and hit him. Callahagn had not intentions of resisting. He'd done enough damage. The flash of anger never came.

"You fixed Baymax's scanner," Hiro said. It was almost more of a question. Callahagn nodded.

"Thanks," Hiro muttered. He saw the shock on Callahagn's face and smiled as best his swollen face would let him. "Our programming prevents us from harming a human being," Hiro added.

"Your aunt's doesn't," Callahagn replied.

"No it doesn't," Hiro grinned. "She's awesome." Callahagn hesitated. The words were on the tip of his tongue, but Hiro cut him off. "Don't bother apologizing. It's pretty obvious that you feel guilty. I don't really care one way or the other. I probably won't ever forgive you, but I'm not going to waste time or energy hating you," Hiro said. The smile was gone from his face and he wasn't looking at Callahagn. The former professor nodded. Hiro swallowed and shifted to look Callahagn in the eyes. "I probably understand you better than anyone else. Revenge is so tempting," Hiro admitted. Callahagn shivered. "I'm glad I didn't kill you. I would have regretted it," Hiro added. "You don't need to say anything. I've already gotten my closure and I'm moving one."

"You're a strong kid," Callahagn replied. Hiro chuckled and winced as it jarred his ribs.

"No just stubborn. It runs on the family."

Cass called everyone for dinner. Tadashi was out like a light upstairs, so they just left him. Hiro insisted on joining the others despite his body protesting every movement. Cass dropped a plate on Callahagn's lap and walked away without saying anything. He was not invited to the table. "So Hack's done for good?" Hiro asked.

"Well he's in police custody," Risa said with a shrug. She had her phone out and was surfing all the news websites.

"Anything about us in the reports?" Wasabi asked.

"Yeah. 'San Fransokyo owes its safety and freedom to its seven costumed heroes and an unknown hacker. System diagnostics show the virus had been neutralized by a counter virus which is slowly deleting all traces of Hack's virus from the system. This second virus is acting as antivirus software. More tests are being run. Officials had no comment at this time. We do not know their stance on the tech based vigilante style heroes, but I can safely say the city is behind our big heroes,'" Risa read from the article. Fred punched the air and let out a whoop.

"Anything about us breaking into a prison and kidnapping Callahagn?" Honey asked casting a glance towards the man in question.

"Not yet. We should probably take him back soon," Risa shrugged.

"Agreed," GoGo chimed in. "We kind of committed several felonies. We should probably try to fix the ones we can."

"You guys have it easy," Risa muttered.

"What do you mean?" Wasabi asked.

"They're going to trace the antivirus back to me. It won't be hard. Everyone knows the lights at SFIT didn't go out and I've submitted all my reports detailing the creation of my program and how I put it on SFIT's mainframe and tested," Risa explained. The others stared at her. They hadn't thought about that. "It doesn't matter that I was doing a good thing, I still hacked the grid and installed a virus. Which is all very illegal."

"You knew that before you ever started didn't you?" Wasabi frowned.

"Yeah. With luck they'll let me off easy because I did help save the city. Don't worry. I'll tell them I never met you, we communicated through burner phones and what not," Risa said.

"They aren't going to lock you up," GoGo snorted. "The city would throw a hissy fit. Chances are they'll give you metal and the city government will hire you."

"We'll see," Risa replied. She wasn't getting her hopes up.

"I'll get you a good lawyer," Fred offered and Cass burst out laughing. Risa stared at them both in confusion.

"Thanks?" Risa said.

"Fred's like super rich," Hiro explained.

"Oh," was all Risa could think to say.

"It's all good. I thought he lived under a bridge for the first three years I knew him," GoGo said. "He doesn't like to talk about it. People tend to treat him differently if they know that," she explained. Fred was looking slightly uncomfortable now.

"I just hate fake friends," Fred said defensively.

"I get that," Risa nodded.

After dinner, the gang helped clean up. Baymax drug Hiro upstairs and insisted he go to bed. Hiro didn't protest much. It was a clear sign of how bad of shape he was in.

"So what's now?" Honey asked when the others were all seated back at the table.

"I need to make sure all of my stuff is in order, wipe a couple hard drives and what not in case I get arrested and searched in the next couple days," Risa said.

"It would probably be best if you took me back as soon as possible," Callahagn chimed in. It was the first time he'd said a word since coming upstairs.

"So we should suit up?" Fred asked. GoGo nodded.

"Armor up," Wasabi told Baymax. "You're the only one who can fly at the moment." The robot nodded and turned to the armor, left forgotten in the corner. While the gang suited up, Honey found Cass in the kitchen.

"Are you okay?" Honey asked. Cass smiled at the girl. She'd been the first friend Tadashi brought home from SFIT. She and Tadashi were a lot alike in mannerism.

"I'm fine. Thanks for asking," Cass replied. "I will be better when that man is out of my house," she added.

"You're taking the whole superhero thing better than we expected," Honey commented.

"I've known all al along," Cass shrugged. "I saw the designs on Hiro's desk and then I saw you on the news. It wasn't hard to put two and two together."

"And you didn't stop us?" Honey was shocked.

"I couldn't stop him from bot fighting. How could I stop him from doing this? This at least he's got all of you watching his back," Cass explained.

"We didn't watch him good enough," Honey sighed.

"Sweetheart, this isn't the first time Hiro's come home looking like this. Tadashi's brought him home looking worse on more than one occasion," Cass soothed. "I don't want him to run around risking his life playing hero- I don't want that for any of you-, but it's better than risking his life for cash bot fighting."

"We'll take better care of him next time," Honey promised.

"I know you're all doing your best," Cass smiled slightly. "You guys are going to change the world in so many ways."

"We didn't set out to be heroes," Honey admitted.

"Does anybody?" Cass challenged. "You should probably get going. I'll have treats ready when you get back," Cass smiled. "I want to hear all the stories." She reached for the baking supplies.

"Got it," Honey nodded. She pulled on her helmet and met the others downstairs. Risa was getting ready to head home and the others were ready to return Callahagn. "Cass wants us to come back and share stories afterwards," Honey told the others.

"She's not going to kill us?" Wasabi clarified.

"No and she's making cookies," Honey replied.

"Yes!" Fred cheered. GoGo rolled her eyes. The team slipped into the alley behind the Lucky Cat and divided up. Risa headed home. Baymax took flight with Wasabi, Callahagn, and Honey on board. GoGo and Fred raced through the streets.

Inside the Lucky Cat Cass stared out the window, waiting for Baymax to blast by. She took a deep breath and focused on baking. It was relaxing, a welcome distraction from her two bedridden nephews and the trouble they kept finding. "They just couldn't be the selfish, antisocial type of geniuses," Cass muttered. She knew that wasn't her boys and God knew she was proud of them for that, but she worried constantly. They saw problems and they fixed them simple as that. They wanted to help people, they had the skills to do so, and the reckless streak to actually do it. And they'd found a group of people just like them. "Be careful," Cass whispered to the night.


	39. Chapter 39

Baymax touched down in the prison yard. The guards were on them in an instant. They learned quick. The heroes held their hands up and Callahagn stepped forward. "We just came to bring him back," GoGo placated. "Sorry about breaking in, but we needed another robotics genius and he was the only one we could find." One guard stepped forward and grabbed Callahagn, leading him back towards the building. "Don't blame him. He didn't come along willingly," GoGo added.

"We know," another guard replied. GoGo swallowed.

"We needed him to save the city. Hack kidnapped our roboticist," GoGo offered.

"Get out of here," the man sighed. "I'm so going to lose my job for letting you go, but you saved a lot of people."

GoGo nodded and the gang climbed back aboard the robot. Fred dangled from Baymax's grip, whooping as they soared over the city.

The gang landed in the alley behind the café and went in through the garage, shedding costumes as they went. Cass came down from checking her boys to find her kitchen table full of exhausted college students. Fred was dozing with his head on the table and GoGo looked ready to join him at any moment. Honey was playing with her purse and Wasabi was fiddling with his lasers, turning them on and off just to watch the swirling plasma.

"Can we not have weapons at the table, please?" Cass sighed.

"Sorry," Wasabi muttered. He and Honey both tucked their gear under the table. Cass dumped a tray of chocolate chip cookie on the table and flopped down in chair beside the heroes.

"Alright. Answers and stories," Cass ordered. Honey started with the call they got from Baymax and tracking Hiro the robot to the bay. The others chimed in when she left out details. Cass stared at the group in awe as they talked about meeting Yokai and deciding to go after him. She laughed when the described building their suits with Hiro and training with Heathcliff. Cass pressed her hand over her mouth and swallowed hard when Honey talked about Hiro snapping at Callahagn. "I never would have thought," Cass whispered. Her eyes flickered to the ceiling where upstairs her nephews were sleeping. "I knew he was struggling, but not to that extent."

"Callahagn wouldn't accept responsibility for Tadashi," GoGo explained. "He said it was Tadashi's own fault, totally ignoring the fact that Tadashi went back for him. That's what drove Hiro over the edge." Cass nodded. Honey continued the narrative, ending with the defeat of Yokai and the rescue of Abigail.

"That explains a lot. I never figured out how Abigail tied into all of this," Cass sighed. "I'm surprised Hiro didn't really react to Callahagn tonight," she mused.

"I think Hiro made his own kind of peace when we arrested Callahagn," Wasabi shrugged. "Little man decided he didn't really want or need revenge."

They talked well into the early hours of the morning. Cass sent the heroes home with bags of pastries and orders to stop in soon. Everyone was planning on a day spent sleeping and recovering. With the gang gone, Cass turned her attention to her boys. She slipped upstairs to find Baymax watching over them. Each boy was in his own bed. Tadashi was struggling with his blankets. He whimpered softly and Cass felt her heartbreak. "Has he been doing that long?" she asked Baymax.

"Yes. I am unsure what to do for his pain. I attempted to wake him up and administer ibuprofen, but he would not wake up. He is completely exhausted," Baymax explained. Cass swore she could hear concern in the robot's voice.

"How about Hiro?" Cass asked.

"He is sleeping well. I detect no brain activity associated with nightmares," Baymax replied.

"Should we put them together?" Cass frowned. The boys underestimated the number of times she'd come upstairs to check on them and seen then huddled together. She knew it helped the nightmares.

"I feared that Tadashi might flail and hit Hiro causing more damage," Baymax explained. Cass watched Tadashi clench the sheets in his fist and nodded.

"I never thought of that," she sighed. Her and Baymax stood side by side and just watched the boys. "So how much damage is that neural transmitter doing?" Cass asked after a minute.

"I have detected no permanent damage yet, but this is only the second time Tadashi has used it to sensory overload," Baymax replied. "I keep a close eye on him."

"I don't know what I'd do without you," Cass smiled at the robot. Baymax wrapped his arms around Cass and she leaned into his soft mass, feeling the warmth and hearing the hum of his motors.

"It will all be okay," Baymax said softly.

"I hope so," Cass murmured.

"You should sleep. You are beginning to show signs of sleep deprivation," Baymax added, breaking the hug to scan Cass again.

"Alright, just call me if anything changes," she relented. Baymax nodded and returned to his watch. Cass went back downstairs and settled into her bed. She fell asleep thinking on her odd little family: two boys, a cat, a robot, and a gang of nerdy superheroes.

Baymax kept his watch in silence until noon when Tadashi woke up moaning in pain and trying to squirm away from the light.

Note: Life is crazy at the moment. I probably won't be able to update until Monday or Tuesday. Don't think I'm abandoning Rebuilding. It's not quite done yet. I added this so you'd have a descent ending for the time being (no horrible Cliffhangers). Tadashi's fine-ish.


	40. Chapter 40

His brain was full of explosions that sent waves of agony burning through his body. Tadashi never felt the burns on the lower half of his body, but he imagined they couldn't have hurt half as bad as the phantom flames licking through his nervous system. Even the damaged portions of his body throbbed with pain despite being theoretically dead. It was all coming from his head. Baymax pinned Tadashi to the bed as gently as possible and forced pain pills down his throat. Tadashi slipped back into an uneasy sleep.

Hiro woke up shortly after his brother had drifted back to sleep. He sat up and blinked at Baymax. One eye was swollen shut and Hiro's mouth felt full of cotton. Every movement made him wince. Baymax had to help the younger Hamada to the bathroom. Hiro's body had gone so stiff he could barely move. A few minutes of hobbling around the loft with Baymax's help loosened up Hiro's legs enough that he dared try the stairs. It was slow going. Hiro was worried his legs were going to give out ant minute. Cass wasn't in the second level. Hiro grabbed a muffin and an apple out of the fridge and ate them at the table in silence. He gave up on the apple after a couple bites. His jaw and teeth hurt too much to eat the crisp fruit. Hiro sighed and picked at the muffin some more. Mochi wound his way around Hiro's legs, purring under the table, and forcing a smile onto Hiro's face. Hiro scooped up the cat and buried his face in the cat's soft fur. Mochi's whole body shook with deep, war purrs. Hiro could have fallen back asleep at the kitchen table with Mochi in his arms. The bell in the café jolted him out of his doze. Hiro set Mochi back on the floor and stood up with a groan. He shuffled towards the staircase. Downstairs the tile floor of the case was cold on Hiro's bare feet. A few customers were chatting over coffee. Cass and Mrs. Matsuda were watching the TV intently. It was the latest update on Hack's arrest. Hiro didn't think twice about climbing up on a bar stool beside his aunt. Mrs. Matsuda stared at Hiro in shock. "What's the latest?" Hiro asked. Cass glanced at Hiro and her hand flew to her mouth. She forced herself to swallow and take a deep breath.

"Sweetheart, did you look in the mirror before coming downstairs?" Cass asked gently. Hiro frowned and shook his head. He hadn't really thought about it. The other customers were far enough away from the counter that they hadn't noticed Hiro yet. "Let's go back upstairs," Cass said. It wasn't a suggestion. She pulled Hiro off the stool and puched him lightly towards the stairs. Hiro let himself be guided back to the kitchen. Mrs. Matsuda followed them. Hiro reclaimed his chair at the table beside a muffin wrapper and half eaten apple. Cass disappeared into the bathroom and came back with a mirror, first aid kit, and washcloth. Hiro grabbed the mirror and nearly dropped it when he saw his reflection. His face was a mess of purple and red, ranging from almost orange to black. He had two black eyes, one swollen shut and the other bloodshot. His lip was slit and a bandages covered cuts on his forehead and cheek. He was barely recognizable under the swelling. Looking beyond his face, Hiro realized his hair was a wreck and he was wearing the same clothes he'd had on under the suit when he'd been kidnapped. They were covered in dirt and flecked with blood.

"What happened?" Mrs. Matsuda asked. Horror was written on every line of her face.

"I got mugged trying to get home from school yesterday," Hiro lied. The words came out easily. Cass nodded in agreement and support.

"You need to call the police," Mrs. Matsuda insisted. Hiro frowned. He wasn't in the mood to put up with the overbearing neighbor.

"And tell them what? I didn't see any faces and they've got bigger problems. I'm fine," he snapped. Cass pulled the bandages off Hiro's face and wiped them with the damp washcloth. Hiro hissed at the touch.

"Hold still and be nice. Mrs. Matsuda's just worried about you," Cass snapped back at her nephew. Hiro heard the warning in his aunt's voice and swallowed another snarky remark.

"Sorry Mrs. Matsuda. I'm okay really," Hiro apologized. Cass finished scrubbing his face and grabbed the antibiotic cream out of the first aid kit.

"This is as bad as the time you got caught botfighting," Mrs. Matsuda lectured. "I'm telling you Cassandra this boy is a magnet for trouble. Poor thing," she crooned. Cass sighed and ruffled Hiro's hair.

"I'm beginning to think it's a genius thing, because he and Tadashi have found a group of friends that are just as danger prone as themselves," Cass replied.

"You need any help? I can watch the café while you take Hiro to the doctor," Mr.s Matsuda offered. The image of the little old lady in her red stilettoes and back strappy dress, throwing on an apron and stepping behind the counter was almost more than Hiro could handle. He fought back a snicker.

"It's okay really. Baymax scanned him and Tadashi and I have both looked him over. He's going to be fine. Thanks so much for the offer though," Cass politely declined. Mrs. Matsuda shrugged.

"You put too much faith in technology. Look at this mess we're in," the older woman said.

"And technology saved us," Hiro chimed in.

"The newsmen are saying we've just traded one computer virus for another. It's only a matter of time before these 'heroes' turn around and start asking for money and what not," Mrs. Matsuda countered. Cass put a hand on Hiro's shoulder, but it didn't stop him from arguing.

"Why can't you just accept that there are people who don't care about money and just want to help others, people like Tadashi?" Hiro snapped. After the funeral, Mrs. Matsuda had referred to Tadashi as kind hearted, but reckless.

"Because people like Tadashi get themselves killed," Mrs. Matsuda snapped back. Hiro clenched his fist.

"I think Hiro needs to go get some pain pills and rest," Cass interrupted. She turned to Hiro. "Why don't you head upstairs while I walk Mrs. Matsuda back down to the café. The scones she was waiting on should be done," she ordered. Cass and Mrs. Matsuda disappeared down the stairs. Hiro knew they were talking about him. Hiro blushed beneath the bruises. He'd screwed up and he knew it. Hiro went upstairs and waited. Baymax was still in position watching Tadashi. Hiro stuck his head in and saw Tadashi sleeping peacefully, before climbing onto his own bed and making a nest of blankets. Several minutes later Cass came up to the loft. She sat on the edge of Hiro's bed. He could feel the mattress dip under her extra weight. "Did I ever tell you about how I met Mrs. Matsuda?" Cass asked. Hiro shook his head. "She moved in next door the year before your parents' accident. I'd just bought the café and was spending every waking hour getting the place ready for health inspections. One day I was mopping the floor when she appeared at the door in a miniskirt and six inch heels with a tray of brownies. I invited her in and ended up at a table with her for three hours. We ate the whole brownie tray and drank two pots of coffee. I'd just miscarried, gotten divorced, and moved to San Fransokyo. I was lonely and depressed and she was the first person to notice. I talked for three hours and she listened to every word. She gave me a shoulder to cry on and was my first friend here," Cass explained. Hiro swallowed. He felt awful.

"I know I shouldn't have snapped. I just…" he trailed off unsure how to explain what he'd felt.

"She's an opinionated woman with no social filters. She says what she thinks without worrying about how other people feel. And she likes to push your buttons, has since the day she met you," Cass soothed. "But she's practically family. When I took you boys in, I had no furniture for you and the loft was a storage space. I had no idea what I was going to do. I came home from the airport to find a moving company clearing out the loft and setting up beds and dressers for you two. She'd heard through the gossip grapevine and set her mind to helping me," Cass continued. Hiro frowned at the comforter. He remembered Mrs. Matsuda bringing brownies over more than once. He'd been scared of her when he was little. Tadashi was the one who started the little jokes about her clothes. It made her a lot less intimidating. Looking back, he realized how present Mrs. Matsuda had been in his life. She was in the café daily and somehow ended up at the dinner table on a regular basis. She followed Cass upstairs and poured tea and Hiro never questioned it. "Don't feel bad about snapping at her. I know she hit a pretty big nerve tonight and you feel like crap," Cass added. "I talked to her. I think she'll leave off on the whole Tadashi playing hero issue. Believe it or not, that hits her close to home too. She lost her husband in the war. He was weeks from coming home and ran into a firefight to rescue another member of his patrol," Cass explained. A tear slid down Hiro's swollen cheek. Cass wrapped him in a gentle hug. "It's okay. She understands why you snapped. She's actually a lot like you," Cass murmured into his ear.

"Rude and oblivious?" Hiro mumbled back.

"Sarcastic and a little bit bitter," Cass ran her fingers through Hiro's hair.

"I'm not bitter," Hiro defended.

"Maybe bitter's not quite the right word. Maybe it's more disillusioned," Cass mused.

"You're worried about me aren't you?" Hiro asked into Cass's shoulder. She smoothed his hair and rubbed gentle circles on his back.

"I'm always worried about," Cass shrugged.

"Sorry," Hiro apologized.

"Don't apologize unless you intend to stop," Cass corrected. "And we both know that you couldn't stay out of trouble if you tried," she teased.

"Does this mean you're not going to ground me for life?" Hiro clarified.

"Tried that. It doesn't work. Figured it'd be better to take Tadashi's approach and focus on making sure you get back out of the trouble," Cass smiled. Hiro leaned into her hug.

"You already knew about the superhero thing didn't you?" Hiro asked.

"Duh," Cass snorted. "I'm not stupid and you left Baymax's armor designs pulled up on the 3D printer. I saw them when I was trying to pick up," she added.

"When was that?" Hiro frowned.

"The morning before you guys made your grand debut. I didn't realize what the designs were until I saw the news with you all taking on Callahagn," Cass explained.

"You're not going to forbid me from doing it again after the thing with Hack?" Hiro asked again.

"No, but we are going to lay down some ground rules," Cass replied. Hiro winced. "Rule one: you will keep me in the loop. It is nonnegotiable," she added.

"Fair enough,"' Hiro mumbled into her shoulder.

"And I'd like you to get at least six hours of sleep on school nights," Cass continued. Hiro groaned. "You are a growing boy and you picked those morning classes," Cass fired back mercilessly. Hiro just sighed. Cass let go of her nephew and stood up. "I really need to go keep an eye on the café and you should get some more sleep," she sighed. Hiro nodded. When she left, Hiro changed into his pajamas and climbed back in bed. His last thought before falling back asleep was that he was never going to see Mrs. Matsuda the same way again.


	41. Chapter 41

Hiro woke up to Tadashi's whimpering. Hiro slipped out of bed and headed for his brother's side of the room. Baymax had a glass of water and was doing his best to coax Tadashi into taking the pills. Hiro watched from the doorway as Baymax forced them into Tadashi's mouth and made him swallow. Tadashi struggled, mumbling incoherently. "Is he going to be okay?" Hiro asked. Baymax glanced towards Hiro.

"He is recovering," the robot assured Hiro.

"How long?" Hiro asked. Baymax shrugged.

"We have almost no data to work from. My best estimate is it will be at least another day before he really wakes up and is aware of his surroundings, but two or three days would not be surprising. From there the headaches could linger for a week or more," Baymax said. Tadashi had relaxed back into sleep. Hiro watched the shadows creep across his brother's face as Baymax adjusted the pillows beneath Tadashi, the way the light and dark slid over his scars.

"I didn't get like this when I was working with the neuralcranial transmitter and neither did Callahagn," Hiro muttered.

"My best guess is that Tadashi's suit requires a higher level of mental focus and control than the microbots. But it could also be another sideaffect of the damage from the fire or simply that each brain responds differently to the added strain," Baymax offered. Hiro sighed and turned away from his sleeping brother.

"I'm going to go shower and stuff. Let me know if anything changes," Hiro said. He was awake now and there'd be no going back to sleep. Baymax nodded and watched his youngest charge limp to the bathroom.

The hot water did wonders for Hiro. It loosened his muscles and beat the stiffness out of his joints. Afterwards, Hiro got dressed and headed downstairs. The swelling in his face had gone down some, but he looked like a raccoon with his two black eyes. It was early and the whole house smelled like coffee. Aunt Cass was in the café pouring beans into the grinder and brewing fresh pots. The smell of fresh cinnamon rolls wafted through the café. Hiro grabbed an apron from the rack hook on the wall and stepped up beside his aunt, passing her bags of beans. Cass smiled at her helper.

"Anything about Risa on the news yet?" Hiro asked.

"Not yet, but they did say they found a digital signature in the virus and are working to get permission to access the SFIT mainframe to analyze the virus on it. Once they have access to that they'll know the antivirus is Risa's," Cass explained.

"I hope they don't arrest her. She deserves a medal or something," Hiro muttered. Cass ruffled his hair.

"Fred says he's got a lawyer all lined up just in case," Cass replied. Hiro snorted. "Do you think you can take the bus down to SFIT and pick up Tadashi's wheelchair? He's going to need it when he wakes up and we don't need people asking how he got home without it," Cass asked.

"Yeah," Hiro nodded.

Hiro kept his hood up the whole trip to hide his face. No one seemed to notice. With no classes in session because of the winter break, the lab was empty. Hiro found Tadashi's wheelchair in their office. It came apart easily and folded up small enough to fit in the empty backpack Hiro had brought along. Hiro caught a cable car back up the hill to the café. When he ducked inside, Mrs. Matsuda was sitting at the bar chatting with Cass. Hiro set the backpack down and took a deep breath. Mrs. Matsuda muttered a startled "Oh" when Hiro walked up and hugged her. She hugged the teen back tentatively, unsure where this came from.

"Sorry I snapped at you yesterday," Hiro apologized.

"It's not a big deal," Mrs. Matsuda replied. When Hiro let go, Cass gave him a thumbs up from behind Mrs. Matsuda. Hiro took the backpack upstairs and reassembled the wheelchair. He left it by Tadashi's bed.

"Get better," Hiro ordered his sleeping brother. "I'm not sure I'll be able to handle a second Christmas without you."

Tadashi woke up for real two days before Christmas. Sun was streaming in the window and the pressure in his head had receded to a dull ache. He pushed himself up onto an elbow and groaned. He was stiff. Tadashi's groan drew Baymax to the room. The robot helped him to the shower and handed him ibuprofen. Afterwards, Baymax carried Tadashi down to the café. Hiro was sitting at a table with Mrs. Matsuda.

"I must be dreaming," Tadashi said. Hiro was out of his chair faster than Tadashi had ever seen his brother move.

"Tadashi!" Hiro grinned. He smashed into Baymax and threw his arms around both the robot and his brother. Tadashi laughed and hugged Hiro back. Cradled in Baymax's arms, the angle was awkward, but neither Hamada really cared.

"You're a mess knucklehead," Tadashi whispered in Hiro's ear. His voice was choked with tears. Hiro's face was a mess of yellowing bruises and bandaged cuts. "I was so scared," Tadashi murmured.

"I wasn't. I knew you'd come get me," Hiro whispered back. "You always do."

"And I always will," Tadashi replied. Mrs. Matsuda smiled at the boys. The bell rang, Cass walked in the front door, and dropped her bag of groceries. She ran over to add her arms to the tangle.

"You're awake!" Cass beamed. Tadashi chuckled and wiped the tears off his cheeks.

"Yeah," he nodded.

Christmas came suddenly. There were frantic last minute trips to the mall and grocery store. Cass dug out the box of Christmas decorations and sneezed for an hour after inhaling a bunch of dust. "We didn't really do much last year," Cass explained with a shrug. Tadashi frowned. Last Christmas he was in the hospital in coma. Cass hung garland while Tadashi helped in the kitchen. Through the kitchen window, he could see Hiro and Baymax hanging lights outside and sighed. That used to be his job. He shoved the sadness away and focused on the treats: cookies, brownies, mocha balls, scones, and cinnamon rolls. They were expecting a pretty a big crowd for Christmas Eve dinner. Cass added extra leaves to the table so everyone could fit. Honey was the first to show up. She helped Tadashi with the last part of dinner. GoGo and Wasabi arrived next. Then, Fred came in wearing a too big Santa suit and bad fake beard. He had a bag of presents slung over his shoulder. At five o' clock on the dot, Mrs. Matsuda appeared at the top of the stairs. She walked through the chaos like a seasoned veteran and within minutes she was sitting on the couch talking shoes with Honey. Risa was the last to arrive. She came running up the stairs, out of breath and stammering apologies which Cass waved off, pointing the pink haired girl towards the empty chair. Risa squeezed in between Hiro and GoGo. Tadashi was on Hiro's other side with Cass in the next seat over. "You're late," Hiro teased elbowing Risa.

"Not my fault. I was in a meeting with the police chief, mayor, and Alistar Krei. I couldn't exactly say, 'Sorry I've got to leave,'" Risa fired back.

"How'd it go?" Cass asked setting another plate on the table.

"They aren't pressing charges or publicizing the fact that the antivirus is mine, which is better than I'd hoped," Risa swallowed. "And Krei offered me a job at KreiTech," she added.

"No way!" Wasabi grinned.

"High five!" Fred screeched, throwing his hand up. Risa smiled and high fived Fred.

"You going to take it?" Tadashi asked over the chorus of congratulations.

"Yeah. I can get out of botfighting and I'll have access to all kinds of cool new tech. How could I turn it down? Especially when he's the one who convinced the mayor that I wasn't a threat?" Risa replied.

"Just don't let him push you around," GoGo ordered.

"I'm not the only new recruit," Risa shrugged. "Abigail and I are going to be working in the same lab, so I figure between the two of us we can keep out of trouble," she smiled.

"I still can't believe she's going back to work for him," GoGo said shaking her head.

"Krei's pretty persuasive and I feel like having his butt saved by Big Hero 7 has made him a better person," Risa shrugged. That got a chuckle out of the whole table. Mrs. Matsuda laughed along, not totally sure why the college students found the statement as funny as they did.

They opened presents at midnight. Mrs. Matsuda stayed long enough for the boys to open her gifts, a new hoodie for Hiro and a certificate for Tadashi. Tadashi frowned at the slip of paper, not understanding. "They're starting a paraplegic basketball class at the community center. I signed you up," Mrs. Matsuda smirked, "I expect an invite to your first game." Tadashi laughed and motioned for her to give him a hug. Hiro shoved a box into her arms and said it was from all the Hamadas. After she left, the gang settled in to exchange presents and watch cheesy Christmas movies. Cass wouldn't stop fiddling with the blue kaleidoscope. Hiro was snuggled on the couch beside Tadashi in his new hoodie.

"This is a much better Christmas than last year," Hiro mumbled. Tadashi ruffled Hiro's hair and smiled. Fred and GoGo were arguing about what to watch next.

"We're watching _Rise of the Guardians_," Cass said, grabbing the DVD out of GoGo's hand, and settling the debate. GoGo smirked at Fred.

"_Alien_ is not a Christmas Movie," GoGo said triumphantly.

"Anything's a Christmas movie is you watch it on Christmas," Fred defended. Honey rolled her eyes and Wasabi snickered. The gang fell asleep around the TV. Baymax went around spreading blankets over his sleeping charges by the light from the movie credits. The weather pattern shifted offering San Fransokyo a rare dusting of snow. They were going to wake up to a white Christmas.


	42. Chapter 42

Two months later…

Tadashi and Hiro were side by side on the exhibition stage. The rest of Nerd Lab cheered them on as they presented SARI (Search And Rescue Innovator). In the end, Tadashi had decided his hacking code was a little too powerful to present at the winter exhibition and it took the combined brain power of the two Hamadas to finish Hiro's drone. Hiro did the assembly while Tadashi wrote the code. When the announcer called their names, Tadashi sat frozen. Hiro glanced at his older brother. Tadashi's face was pale and his scars stood out. "Just breathe," Hiro whispered.

"I know," Tadashi muttered.

"This isn't a big deal. You've done it multiple times," Hiro added.

"I just…" Tadashi trailed off. He swallowed and set his jaw. "Let's do this. We're going to blow them away," Tadashi muttered.

"Duh. Rule number 456 we only build crazy awesome things," Hiro smiled. Tadashi nodded and pushed himself on stage. People stared at him. The Hamada brothers drew a crowd. This was Tadashi Hamada Hall after all. Everyone wanted to see what the geniuses had come up with and whether or not Tadashi lived up to the hype. No one left disappointed. Hiro was a showman and Tadashi was charismatic. SARI located people hidden throughout the hall, diagnosed injuries, and treated minor epidermal abrasions. Tadashi explained the coding process and saw it fly over most of the audiences' heads. Those who had looked at him and seen only his scars and wheelchair found themselves reevaluating the older Hamada. Tadashi shared a smile with Hiro as the applause filled the hall. The next presenter groaned. He had a tough act to follow. At the awards ceremony, both Hamadas had their scholarships renewed. The dean of engineering congratulated them personally. Cass led the way back to the café. Tadashi and Hiro trailed behind the rest of the group.

"Thanks for not giving up on me," Tadashi said softly. Hiro just smirked down at his big brother.

"It goes both ways, Nerd," Hiro smiled. "Come one. We don't want Fred to beat us home or he'll eat all the food," Hiro teased.

Dinner was interrupted by news of a car chase through downtown San Fransokyo. Cass looked at her nephews and raised an eyebrow. "Mind if we eat later?' Tadashi asked.

"I'll put your plates in the oven to keep them warm," Cass replied. The gang were pulling suits out of backpacks before she even finished speaking. Risa set her laptop on the table and shoved in an earpiece. Cass stopped her boys as they headed for the stairs. "Last hug," she ordered. Hiro and Tadashi wrapped their arms around Aunt Cass, trying to be gentle with the armor. She pulled them in tight, not caring.

"It'll be quick," Tadashi assured her. "We've gotten pretty good at this."

"Whatever. Just be careful," Cass ordered shoving them towards the stairs.

"I'm plugged into the traffic cams and I've got a visual whenever you're ready," Risa said.

"Alright. Let's go," Tadashi grinned.

There was nothing like the thrill of flying. The city blurred beneath Tadashi. Baymax and Hiro flew on his left. GoGo was a yellow streak weaving through traffic below. The others raced across rooftops. Tadashi smiled beneath his helmet. Risa was giving them directions over the coms. Out of the corner of his eye, Tadashi saw Hiro throw his hands up and let out a whoop of joy and excitement. Life was good. Different, but good. They'd built a life worth living.

**Author's Note:**

This is the end of Rebuilding. I might write a sequel or a series of one-shots from this same universe, but this is the end of the first story arc. Thank you to everyone for reading and reviewing. This is my first fic and never expected it to take off like this. It was supposed to be a one-shot… oops. Anyway I want to take a second to thank a couple people who really kept me writing (this is definitely incomplete so sorry if I miss anyone).

From Tumblr: All of my followers. Every last one of you. (I love you guys. My real life friends make fun of me because I talk about you guys like you're people from another local high school and then I'll tell them your URL instead of a name). Special thanks though to **ninjaneko89**, **eglantineazure**, **princessofnewcorona**, and several really awesome anons for the reviews and support, especially in the beginning. I hope it lived up to your expectations. I get a stupid grin on my face every time I remember one of you referring to me as an author and I have all of your comments save on my computer. Thanks to hedgiwithapen for convincing me to put it on FF.

From FanFiction: Literally all of you. My phone notifies me when I get an email and you guys have kept it busy. I you're all awesome.

Everyone who takes the time to read and/or review this mess gets my unending thanks. I'm actually using Rebuilding as a kind of practice my personal novel and I'm really excited to hit it hard. I think I've learned a lot and critiques are always welcome. If you have any fic requests (in this AU or another) send them my way. No promises, but this has been a lot of fun.

P.S. I'm still looking for cover art to go with the Rebuilding on FanFiction… (hint if any of you feel like drawing something)

P.S.S. It wasn't intentional, but I'm glad the last chapter is number 42.


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